@article{(Open Science Index):https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10001546, title = {Semi-Automated Tracking of Vibrissal Movements in Free-Moving Rodents Captured by High-Speed Videos}, author = {Hyun June Kim and Tailong Shi and Seden Akdagli and Sam Most and Yuling Yan}, country = {}, institution = {}, abstract = {Quantitative analyses of whisker movements provide a means to study functional recovery and regeneration of mouse facial nerve after an injury. However, accurate tracking of the mouse whisker movement is challenging. Most methods for whisker tracking require manual intervention, e.g. fixing the head of the mouse during a study. Here we describe a semi-automated image processing method, which is applied to high-speed video recordings of free-moving mice to track the whisker movements. We first track the head movement of a mouse by delineating the lower head contour frame-by-frame that allows for detection of the location and orientation of the head. Then, a region of interest is identified for each frame; the subsequent application of a mask and the Hough transform detects the selected whiskers on each side of the head. Our approach is used to examine the functional recovery of damaged facial nerves in mice over a course of 21 days.}, journal = {International Journal of Biotechnology and Bioengineering}, volume = {9}, number = {5}, year = {2015}, pages = {565 - 569}, ee = {https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10001546}, url = {https://publications.waset.org/vol/101}, bibsource = {https://publications.waset.org/}, issn = {eISSN: 1307-6892}, publisher = {World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology}, index = {Open Science Index 101, 2015}, }