UltraVox XT

UltraVox XT is a software tool developed by Noldus for detecting and analyzing animal vocalizations, with a particular focus on ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) produced by rodents. It is designed for animal behavior researchers who need to measure emotional and motivational states, and study social behavior, anxiety, pain, and well-being in research subjects.

Ultrasonic vocalizations fall outside the range of human hearing but serve as a valuable behavioral parameter. UltraVox XT addresses the need to capture and quantify these calls, which can otherwise represent missing data in studies on social behavior, anxiety, addiction, and pain. The software records full spectrum sound and supports analysis of imported audio files in addition to live recording.

Core Capabilities

• Records full spectrum sound from up to four arenas simultaneously using USB microphones
• Automatically detects and labels calls within recordings
• Performs vocalization analysis faster than real-time
• Supports batch processing of sound files
• Provides dynamic visualization settings, including spectrogram views for identifying call characteristics such as number, duration, and spectral features
• Allows easy export of data to video tracking platforms, including EthoVision XT

Research Applications

• Social behavior studies in rodents
• Anxiety research
• Addiction studies
• Pain research
• General animal well-being and affective state assessment
• Combined behavioral and positional tracking when integrated with EthoVision XT, enabling researchers to correlate USV output with the animal's location and behavioral state

Software Architecture and Workflow

1. Connect USB microphones to record live audio from up to four arenas, or import existing audio files
2. UltraVox XT automatically detects and labels vocalizations within the recordings
3. Adjust visualization settings dynamically to inspect spectrograms and call characteristics
4. Export analyzed data to compatible platforms such as EthoVision XT for integration with behavioral tracking data

UltraVox XT version 4 introduces an updated software architecture intended to support current and future animal behavior research needs. The platform integrates with Noldus EthoVision XT for combined tracking of animal position, behavioral state, and ultrasonic vocalization output. A free trial is available, and Noldus offers consultations to help researchers identify the most suitable configuration for their specific requirements.