Detection panel

Get Started

Click a few worms to define a size range. The worms are displayed with an overlay model.

The detection parameters are then set based on the worms you identified.

Commands

Detect worms: Use this command AFTER clicking worms to identify a baseline size range for the detection. Detects worms within the field of view according to the parameters set under Detection Parameters. Worms that do not conform to these parameters are not detected.

Delete worms: Deletes models of detected worms.

Detection parameters

Detect worms at the edge of the image: If checked, worms touching the edge of the image are included in the detection if they are valid.

Area Min/Max: Minimum/maximum area of valid worms.

Length Min/Max: Minimum/maximum length of valid worms.

Width Min/Max: Minimum/maximum width of valid worms.

Width/length ratio: Minimum/maximum width to length ratio of valid worms.

Detection fit: Minimal degree of fitness between newly detected worms and image (i.e., the degree to which the contour of the model aligns with the contour of the worm binary image).

Registration fit: Minimal degree of fitness between registered worms and image. The value is typically lower than detection fit because worm registration occurs in complex tracking scenarios (e.g., entanglement or occlusion) where the fit between model and image is usually lower.

Advanced

Detection frequency: WormLab regularly performs an image-wide detection sweep to detect new worms entering the field of view. This setting determines how often this detection process is performed. A higher number of frames between detection increases processing speed, but delays the detection of worms entering the field of view.

  • To restrict tracking to worms selected manually, set the frequency to 0 (zero).

Length Fitting: The default worm model assumes that worms maintain a constant length. Selecting this parameter activates length elasticity with the assumption that worm length is variable.

Length Fitting is useful when the change in worm length must be captured accurately or when detection accuracy of the worm extremities is insufficient.

Width Fitting: Systematically adjusts worm width along the length of the worm. Selecting this parameter will decrease processing speed.

Use Whole Plate Mode: The whole plate tracking mode uses a different model designed for low magnification and a large field of view.

  • For low resolution, worms typically only occupy a few pixels in the image, so accurate worm shape or interaction interpretation is not possible. In this mode, you sacrifice accuracy and tracking robustness for an increase in processing speed.

  • Notably absent from this mode is tracking robustness to worm interaction and self-overlap. For example, when two worms touch one another, WormLab software drops their associated tracking , resuming it only when the interaction ends.

Head & Tail detection

  • Predominant direction: If you know the predominant direction that you expect the worms to move, select it from the pull-down. This information will assist WormLab software in assigning heads and tails to worms and is especially useful with lower magnification/resolution data. If the predominant direction is unknown,
  • Width Extremity—Balanced—Bending Extremity slider: Drag the slider to determine the relative influence of extremity width or bending in detecting heads vs. tails.

Worm Shape

Fitting iterations: The number of iterations used in the worm-fitting process. With very big worms or high-magnification images, you may need to increase this number.

You may need to increase this value if you have a sequence of low frame-rate images or worms that move unusually fast.

Spinal axis sample: The number of points used to describe the worm median axis. Reducing the number of points increases processing speed. We recommend a minimum value of 31.

Enforce width uniformity: When enabled, this option maintains a uniform width profile along the worm body. This option is especially useful when dealing with low resolution images where the worm radius is less than 7 or 8 pixels. Note that this mode does not allow automatic detection of the head and the tail. If width fitting is enabled, WormLab attempts to fine-tune the width profile of the worm while maintaining the uniformity of the main body. If the fitting is successful head and tail can theoretically be distinguished from one another automatically.