Below is a list that defines some of the terms commonly used here at Mouse Specifics, Inc. This list includes terms relevant to the DigiGait.
Ambulation: Walking
Ambulatory: Ability to walk
Balance: The steadiness with which an animal is able to maintain its posture
Chassis: The main superstructure of the DigiGait treadmill hardware
Coordination: The recruitment sequence of the limbs that enable it to ambulate
Excrement Collection Bins: On either end of the treadmill, removable pockets that collect excrement from subjects on the moving belt
Frame Rate: Speed at which an image capture device [camera] records a picture [measured in frames per second (FPS)]
Gait: Manner of walking
Gait Analysis: Assessment of walking. This can be qualitative or quantitative. Both have their place. Quantitative makes it easier to track changes
Gait Signal: The waveforms that are rendered by the plotting of the paw areas relative to the treadmill belt over time, representing the history of the paw loading, beginning with heel down, advancing to the total loading of the foot, end ending with the lift off of the toe. This repeats, in a walking mouse, for each of the 4 feet and legs.
Illumination Panels: The DigiGait lighting; there are three – two inside the chassis, and one atop of the walking compartment. All three are important; the one atop maintains uniform back lighting to improve gait signal quality
Kinematics: How the limbs move during walking or running
Overground: Refers to voluntary walking, whereby subject itself determines its walking speed
Paresis: Condition of muscular weakness caused by nerve damage or disease; partial paralysis
Posture: How the animal positions its body and limbs during ambulation
Strength: Relates to the muscle capacity of the subject to slowdown, speed up, or maintain speed
Treadmill Locomotion: Refers to walking on a treadmill, whereby the motor speed that turns the belt dictates the speed of the subject; this is the typeof walking that DigiGait utilizes
Walking Compartment: Chamber atop of the moving treadmill belt that corrals subject to maintain it within view of the camera