A high-speed camera with 850 nm infrared illumination for filming mice and rats in the dark, head-fixed or freely moving. Zoom in on the pupil, whiskers or paws, record up to 1000 fps, and track body parts in real time with DeepLabCut.
Up to 1000 fps
226 fps at full 1440 × 1080 resolution, up to 1000 fps on a 512 × 200 region of interest for fast paw and whisker movements.
Infrared, Invisible to the Animal
Adjustable 850 nm illumination lets you film in darkness without disturbing behavior or interfering with optical imaging.
Real-Time DeepLabCut Tracking
The free acquisition software displays and saves tracked positions live, up to 100 fps depending on model complexity and computer.
Specifications
| Camera | FLIR Blackfly S, USB3 |
|---|---|
| Frame rate | 1440 × 1080 at 226 fps; 512 × 200 at 1000 fps |
| Settings | Binning, region of interest, exposure time and frame rate, in free acquisition software |
| Lens | Adjustable zoom, from the whole animal down to the pupil or a single paw |
| Illumination | 850 nm infrared, adjustable intensity |
| Mounting | Articulated arms for the camera and the illumination; M6 screw, or magnetic stand for metal tables |
| Real-time tracking | DeepLabCut models, up to 100 fps (dedicated NVIDIA GPU recommended) |
| External triggering | With the trigger cable (sold separately) |
| Tracking add-ons | Real-Time Pupillometry: ready-to-use model trained on mouse eyes (DeepLabCut, ONNX) tracking 8 points on the pupil contour. Measures computed from these points, such as pupil diameter and X, Y position, are sent live through the included 8-channel analog output module (8 BNC, 0–5 V) Real-Time Gait Tracking, side view: 5 points (two per paw on one side, tail base); 8-channel analog output included Real-Time Gait Tracking, side and bottom view: up to 12 points on all four paws and the tail, on our running wheel with mirror; 8-channel analog output included |
Real-Time Pupillometry
Measure pupil diameter and X, Y position from your first session, with nothing to set up or train. Each measure is sent live to your acquisition system on its own BNC channel (0–5 V), through the included 8-channel analog output module.
- Record pupil diameter and position alongside electrophysiology, imaging or behavioral signals on your acquisition system
- Close the loop: trigger stimuli on pupil dilation or eye movement with low latency
- Dedicated NVIDIA GPU recommended for the highest tracking rate
Real-Time Gait Tracking: Side View
Follow stepping and limb coordination during locomotion, with a model already trained on mice. Five points are tracked from the side: two on each paw on the camera side, and the tail base.
- Head-fixed on our belt treadmill or spherical treadmill
- Freely moving on our compact treadmill
- Send paw positions live to your acquisition system through the included 8-channel analog output module
Real-Time Gait Tracking: Side and Bottom View
On our running wheel, a mirror shows the mouse from the side and from below in the same image. All four paws and the tail are tracked, up to 12 points, for a full view of the step cycle and interlimb coordination.
- Head-fixed running, with one camera
- Send paw positions live to your acquisition system through the included 8-channel analog output module
Paw Movements Evoked by Optogenetic Stimulation
Paw movement filmed at 900 Hz while different cortical regions were stimulated with a 450 nm laser on the OiS200 imaging system with optogenetics. The movement amplitude at a fixed laser power gives a motor map of the cortex.
For closed-loop optogenetics, track the paws in real time and send their position to your stimulation system through the 8-channel analog output module, to trigger the laser on a specific movement.
Hardware, acquisition software and analysis by LabeoTech. Data courtesy of Greg Silasi, University of Ottawa.
Tracking Something Else? We Train the Model
For the pupil and for gait, the add-ons above include ready-made models. For anything else, send us your recordings and our DeepLabCut tracking service returns a trained model, CSV coordinates or labeled videos. Eye, paw, tail, body, whisking or grooming.
Trained models load directly into the camera software for real-time tracking on your next sessions.
See the tracking service
Complete Your Setup
Pupillometry, Gait & Behavior Tracking
Custom-trained models, CSV coordinates or labeled videos from your recordings.
Trigger Cable
Start frames or sequences from an external TTL to synchronize with other equipment.
Magnetic Stand
Holds the camera and illumination arms on any metal table.
Mouse Head Fixation
Film the eye, whiskers or paws of a head-fixed mouse.
Belt Treadmill
Record behavior while the head-fixed animal walks or runs.
OiS200 Imaging System
Also available as an OiS200 add-on, synchronized with widefield imaging. Contact us.
From Our Blog
Eye Tracking: An Invaluable and Inexpensive Tool in Neuroscience
What pupil size and eye movements reveal about arousal, attention and visual processing in rodents, and how to measure them.
Read the articleFrequently Asked Questions
Can I record in complete darkness?
Yes. The 850 nm infrared illumination is outside the rodent visible range, so you can film in the dark without disturbing behavior. It also stays out of the way of visible-light optical imaging.
What frame rate can I reach?
226 fps at the full 1440 × 1080 resolution. Reduce the region of interest or use binning to go faster: up to 1000 fps at 512 × 200.
Does it work with DeepLabCut?
Yes. The free acquisition software runs DeepLabCut models in real time, up to 100 fps depending on model complexity and computer (dedicated NVIDIA GPU recommended), and saves the tracked positions. If you do not have a model, our DeepLabCut tracking service can train one from your videos.
Can I send pupil size to my acquisition system?
Yes, with the Real-Time Pupillometry add-on. A DeepLabCut model already trained by us on mouse eyes tracks the pupil contour in real time. Measures computed from it, such as pupil diameter and X, Y position, are sent as analog signals (0–5 V), each on its own BNC channel of the included 8-channel analog output module, for recording alongside your other signals or for closed-loop experiments.
Can I track paws and gait without training a model?
Yes. Two add-ons include models already trained on mice: a side view with 5 points (two per paw on one side and the tail base), on our belt, spherical or compact treadmill, and a side and bottom view with up to 12 points on all four paws and the tail, on our running wheel with mirror. Paw positions are sent live to your acquisition system through the included 8-channel analog output module.
Can I synchronize the camera with other equipment?
Yes. Add the trigger cable to start frame capture or sequences from an external trigger.
How do I mount it on my setup?
The camera and the illumination each sit on an articulated arm. Fix the arms to your setup with an M6 screw, or on a metal table with our magnetic stand.
