Coordinate calibration
Pixel positions are transformed into the calibrated arena coordinate system. Physical width and height convert those coordinates to centimeters; incorrect dimensions create proportional measurement error.
Distance accumulation
Frame-to-frame displacement is accumulated across consecutive valid samples. A configurable minimum displacement can suppress small tracking jitter, but an aggressive value can remove real low-amplitude motion.
Speed estimation
Instantaneous speed uses displacement divided by elapsed frame time. A configurable rolling median window can stabilize classification; disclose the window because it changes short-duration peaks.
Missing detections
A missing sample interrupts continuity. Distance should not be inferred across an unobserved gap, and speed or activity episodes should not bridge that gap silently.
Quality checks
Inspect improbable jumps, wall artifacts, low-coverage intervals and sensitivity to reasonable threshold changes. Compare automated paths with representative source-video segments.
This guide describes measurement concepts and the current RodentMetrics workflow. It is not a universal protocol, clinical guidance or evidence that a single metric represents a psychological state.