Ape stress monitored.

Flir thermal cameras are helping scientists at the University of Sussex (GB) to undertake groundbreaking stress studies in great apes. These advanced thermal cameras help ecologists see fluctuations in nose temperature, a known metric of stress levels. It is hoped the studies will aid researchers in a number of ways, including the identification of sanctuary chimpanzees and gorillas most suitable for release into the wild.

Among those pivotal in turning these ambitions into reality is lead researcher Gillian Forrester (PhD, SFHEA), Professor of Comparative Cognition at the university’s School of Psychology. “I look at the building blocks of cognition across evolutionary time: how we became the intelligent, walking, talking, tool-using great apes we are today,” she explains. “It’s effectively a proxy for looking at things we do and don’t share with our common ancestors.”

One factor shared across ancestral species is stress, in particular the way the biology of individuals reacts to stress.

“If we are stressed, overwhelmed or in fear, our face experiences a change in blood flow. Our nervous system reroutes the blood in our face to other sensory organs such eyes and ears - a physical reaction designed to help individuals look and listen for danger. A consequential side effect sees our nose get a little colder as blood moves away. We call it ‘nasal dip’ and it’s become an interesting avenue to explore in stress response and recovery.”

Assessing nasal dip using the translational capabilities of Flir thermal technology allows ecologists to overcome current scientific limitations. At present, assessing stress typically requires connecting subjects to heart monitors, blood pressure gauges or pulsometers, which is not only stress-inducing in itself but also clearly unsuitable for chimpanzees and gorillas.

In-field research.
The research team is working with wild animal parks in Britain and rescue sanctuaries for chimpanzees and gorillas in Africa. Most individuals housed at these sanctuaries have experienced previous trauma at some level.

“Evaluating their stress levels could allow us to better manage rehabilitation, identify suitable candidates for release and target those who aren’t so we can think about new kinds of interventions,” she explains. “It might even help identify a good adoptive mother for an incoming infant ape, for example.”

This research facilitated by Flir T1020 uncooled and A6301 cooled camera technology will assist the team in understanding the healthy/non-healthy range of nasal dip. It will also help discover how quickly individuals recover after a stress event, providing an indication of their resilience and self-regulation.

Beyond the visible.
Right from the start, Flir thermal cameras have proved to be the facilitating technology of this crucial research. The University of Sussex team initially used a Flir T450sc portable, easy-to-use infrared science camera. However, in early 2025, the ecologists migrated to the Flir T1020 (T1K), largely for its HD-quality thermal images, packing more detail than ever before into each image.

The research combines Flir’s uncooled TK1 and highly sensitive cooled A6301 cameras, each selected for different environments from field observations to controlled sanctuary studies.

“We’re going to use the two different types of sensor technology - uncooled and cooled - to suit certain data collection activities,” reveals Professor Forrester. “Both sensors have advantages, but we’ll use the highly sensitive, cooled MWIR sensor of the Flir A6301 to achieve an extra level of image detail in static studies.”

At the sanctuary, a screen next to the enclosure will play videos that elicit either a negative (stress) or a positive response. If an individual ape voluntarily wanders forward to watch the video, the research team will have a static Flir A6301 cooled camera set up to study nasal dip.

Region of interest.
Notably, the Flir cooled thermal cameras also allow Professor Forrester and her team to create a region of interest on the face from which to collect data. To ensure suitability, the ecologists require a threshold of at least 50 pixels per area of interest, which is where the high resolution of the Flir A6301 proves vital. Furthermore, the higher sensitivity (3-5 µm) of these cooled cameras enables researchers to detect breathing/respiration as a thermal image, providing another biological measure of interest.

Along with static studies using cooled thermal cameras, the ecologists in Sierra Leone will undertake ‘focal follow’ research, looking at the normal behaviour of individual apes as they move around the sanctuary throughout the day.

“Here we’ll use the uncooled Flir T1K thermal camera because we can walk around with it, reach different sides of the enclosure and climb observation platforms,” says Professor Forrester. “It has a highly effective zoom, which will definitely prove useful in 2026 when we visit Uganda to work with our first group of habituated wild chimpanzees. We’ll track them through their natural habitat with the Flir T1K and capture samples of their stress levels.”

Thermal Ecology Kit.
To bring even more advantages to research of this type, Thermal Vision Ecology - sister company to Flir distributor Thermal Vision Research - recently began developing its Thermal Ecology Kit, a mobile thermography system designed specifically for ecological surveys. The kit features a Flir cooled or uncooled camera with multiple lens options connected to a tripod and battery pack offering six hours of power. The entire system connects to a Windows tablet pre-installed with Flir Research Studio, an advanced thermal analysis software suite offering a simplified workflow for displaying, recording and evaluating data.

The kit proved successful in bat studies and was duly recommended to Professor Forrester and her team for the great ape research. Alongside easier wildlife recording, faster post-survey reporting times and increased field safety, there is no need to hold a camera for hours at a time. With its backpack design and plug & play functionality, the system is convenient to transport and use.

“Using the Thermal Ecology Kit allowed us to replace bulkier and more inflexible kit that we used for a previous field study in Gabon,” says Professor Forrester. “We use the kit with the addition of a GoPro camera because, alongside the thermal image, we need synchronous natural-light RGB video to identify individuals. Whether using a Flir cooled or uncooled camera, we mount the GoPro on top to attain the same vantage point and provide synchronous data.”

As for the next challenge, the ecology research team at the University of Sussex hopes to work with Flir experts again to develop specific software tools for data sampling. This activity will bring even more benefits to ecologists as they continue to seek greater understanding about the role of biological determinants in monitoring stress.

Professor Gillian Forrester and her team

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@flir @mepaxIntPR  #Research #TandM

Eliminating most lab paperwork enabling more efficient completion of work.

A new case study released by Autoscribe Informatics (A Xybion Company) highlights how the North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NDSU VDL) has successfully implemented the Matrix Gemini Veterinary LIMS. The new system has revolutionized laboratory operations, enhancing efficiency and providing a more streamlined service for veterinarians, animal producers, and the public health sector across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Western Minnesota (USA).

Based in Fargo, North Dakota, the NDSU VDL offers various diagnostic services, including toxicology, bacteriology, virology, molecular diagnostics, pathology, parasitology, and serology. As an American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) accredited laboratory, NDSU VDL provides critical support to veterinarians, animal producers, and public health officials to ensure the health and well-being of national herds, companion animals, and wildlife.

Before the implementation of Matrix Gemini LIMS, NDSU VDL was grappling with several challenges posed by its prior LIMS system. This system, which required significant time for maintenance and updates, was causing inefficiencies and bottlenecks. To ensure laboratory optimization, Matrix Gemini was chosen as the solution. The need for a modern, configurable system to manage the complexities of veterinary diagnostics, including antibiotic susceptibility testing, and support their high-volume operations was evident. The introduction of Matrix Gemini LIMS has transformed their operations, enabling a nearly paperless workflow and interfacing seamlessly with key analytical instruments to enhance data accuracy and reduce manual data entry.

Key benefits of Autoscribe’s LIMS include a 90% reduction in paper usage, improved sample tracking, and seamless integration with vital analytical instruments. This has led to more efficient operations, faster result turnaround times, and enhanced reporting accuracy. The web portal feature has benefited local veterinarians, allowing real-time access to test results and improving patient care. The system’s configurability allows NDSU VDL to adapt quickly to evolving business needs without waiting for vendor updates.

The LIMS administrator said, “laboratory needs are always dynamic, so it is great we can add fields and make changes ourselves, without waiting for the LIMS vendor to release another version of the software or make the changes for us.”

The success of Matrix Gemini LIMS at NDSU VDL is a testament to the effectiveness of the system in addressing the complex needs of veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Autoscribe Informatics continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that enhance laboratory operations and drive efficiency. The successful implementation at NDSU is a clear example of Autoscribe’s commitment in action.

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@AutoscribeLtd @AutoscribeCorp @NDSU #LIMS #Laboratory #USA

Updated Veterinary LIMS System.

The latest release of Autoscribe Informatics' starter systems has been announced. The 4Q22 release includes an improved Veterinary LIMS starter system, and two updated modules for Matrix Gemini LIMS, aliquots and derivatives, and improved security groups.

Download  veterinary brochure here

“The 4Q22 LIMS starter systems provide a significant step forward in performance. They offer new and improved features to deliver LIMS projects faster and with more functionality than ever,” said Simon Wood, Product Manager at Autoscribe Informatics. “The new starter systems have all been based on, and tested with, Matrix Gemini v6.5. This includes our new Matrix Gemini Web application which provides a faster, more user-friendly web interface for users.”

The extended Veterinary LIMS starter system incorporates feedback from recent customer projects in this field. The system now includes:

• Improved rule-based limits to support breed and age of animal, easing the complexity of setting up animal specific limits
• Culture and sensitivity test panel examples to help identification of effective anti-microbials
• Sample pooling tests pre-built within the LIMS to aid herd/flock level testing Optional support for manual differential testing to assist recording counts while using a microscope

The improved aliquot and derivative module is designed to allow samples and derivative samples to be more easily created and managed. Aliquots are created when a parent sample is split into two or more child samples of the same substance. Derivatives are created when a parent sample is split into two or more processed child samples (for example, whole blood into plasma and red blood cells). Multiple parent samples can be aliquoted at the same time, with the child samples of each being treated identically in each case. It is now possible to automatically assign substances to the child samples, as well as the tests to be done on them, at the time of aliquoting. Meta data from the parent samples can be transferred to the child samples, while preserving the relationship between the parent/child samples.

Matrix Gemini has always allowed user-based access to specific functionality. However, the improved security groups module allows users to be assigned to multiple groups. This simplifies security administration and enables finer control of user access to system functionality.

The starter systems are available immediately for use in all new LIMS projects. The configurations of workflows, screens, menus, and other items in each starter system are held in their own database, separate to the LIMS software. This allows the underlying version of Matrix to be upgraded without affecting the configuration of the system, making future maintenance straight-forward.

@AutoscribeLtd @AutoscribeCorp #Laboratory #LIMS

Pet health and welfare aided by hi-tech building controls.

Pets supplies retailer is enjoying significant energy savings across its entire retail network while ensuring that ideal animal welfare conditions are maintained at all times.

Pets at Home has installed energy efficiency control systems for the air conditioning (AC) in all its 450 stores. Each system was designed by energy management consultants Ignite Energy of Wantage (GB), using a standard template based on Intesis gateway from HMS Networks and installed by integration solutions provider Consyst.

AC's from different manufacturers combined in one Pets at Home branches use air conditioning equipment from different manufacturers, such as Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, and others. Consyst has used Intesis gateways to retrieve real-time information from the AC units and control operation, regardless of manufacturer.

Consyst Director, Lior Golani, explains: “The Intesis gateway is powered by the AC unit, allowing straightforward installation. By reading predefined information from the gateways, the integrator can easily duplicate the configuration across different units and sites, which saves a lot of time in commissioning.”

This simplicity enabled Consyst to install each system quickly and efficiently. Indeed the whole branch network was upgraded in less than 18 months, minimizing disruption to Pets at Home’s normal operations.

Ensuring animal welfare conditions Once operating, the gateway constantly transmits crucial information like operating status and error codes to a central controller. A very important factor was that each store’s system includes multiple temperature sensors and controls which ensures that strict pet welfare conditions can be maintained at all times.

“Monitoring and controlling each store’s temperature has significantly reduced energy consumption and, very importantly, ensures optimal welfare conditions for the pets,” says Lior.

Pets at Home now has an estate of energy-efficient stores and Ignite and Consyst continue to work with them to develop further initiatives and to ensure that energy is managed effectively at every level.

Intelligent gateways The Intesis gateways solutions from HMS enable existing devices and equipment from virtually all manufacturers to be connected no matter what protocol or network technology is used. This means all elements of even the most complex building automation project can be integrated into a single unified system.

It can communicate using open standards or proprietary protocols and includes a range of both protocol translators and AC interfaces. The result is simple design, installation and commissioning coupled with robust and reliable operation.

Intesis is scaleable from the simplest domestic requirements to large projects in the commercial, retail, healthcare and education sectors.

@hmsnetworks @IgniteEnergyLtd @mepaxIntPR #BAS #Energy

Veterinary case study on laboratory information management system.

Autoscribe Informatics has released a new veterinary laboratory case study focusing on the benefits that Matrix Gemini LIMS has bought to Scone Equine Hospital. The LIMS is in daily use in the largest equine veterinary practice in Australia.

Explaining why Scone Equine chose Matrix Gemini LIMS the laboratory supervisor said “We ended up deciding on Matrix due to the flexibility that the system offered. Many LIMS are based around how pathology labs work, which to a degree covers what we do. However we work in the veterinary and thoroughbred industry and our clients have particular requirements on how they like things done. To accommodate that we had to have something more flexible than a traditional LIMS. We felt that Autoscribe could be adaptable in their approach and work with us to actually get what we wanted to meet our requirements”.

One of the key benefits from the introduction of a LIMS has been the increased level of automation. The integration of instruments with the LIMS ensures results are free of transcription errors and immediately available for review. Once approved, test results are automatically sent to the referring veterinarian or owner (depending on the rules defined in the LIMS), improving the level of customer service that the organization can offer its clients. The time savings realized from these changes alone has saved 2-3 hours a day during the equine breeding season, eliminating some of the burden of employing extra staff members during this busy period.

Improved visibility of samples awaiting test enables staff to provide more accurate updates to clients. Easy access to the test results along with results from historical testing quickly provides a holistic view of every equine patient.

“Our experience with Autoscribe Matrix LIMS has been excellent – more efficient, more accurate, more user-friendly. Following the initial engagement, the company devoted significant resources to understanding our business and requirements to ensure a smooth transition to the system,” said Cameron Collins, the Managing Director at Scone Equine. “Implementation of the system has resulted in improved efficiency for our team, a significantly enhanced search capability for our clients and increased accuracy of results due to reduction in data transcription errors.”

The comprehensive audit functionality supplied as standard with Matrix Gemini LIMS ensures that any changes to data, from registration to testing to approval, can be queried and tracked. Autoscribe Informatics and Scone Equine Hospital have worked as a team to configure several system changes and improvements since their initial implementation. This includes amendments to the way that microbiology results are entered, made possible without coding, due to the inherent flexibility offered by the Matrix Configuration Tools.

@AutoscribeLtd @AutoscribeCorp #LIMS 

Clinical diagnostics in veterinary laboratories.

BioTe Veterinary Laboratories is using Matrix Gemini Veterinary LIMS to manage their laboratory workflow and analytical data to drive efficient operations in their new purpose-built laboratory facility.

 

The case study may be downloaded here.

BioTe Veterinary Laboratories provides clinical services to veterinary practices and their clients nationwide. BioTe’s mission is to use the latest tools and techniques to provide high-quality diagnostic results in an efficient and timely manner. The newly opened purpose-built laboratory achieves this by blending the best of a traditional veterinary clinical diagnostic laboratory with the latest analytical techniques and technology. 

 

Diagnostic services cover the broad spectrum of animal species including Equine, Farm Animals and Small Animals. A broad spectrum of tests are covered including hematology, chemistry, endocrinology, dermatology, cytology, urinalysis, fecal panels and gram stains. Their aim is to be a seamless extension of in-house veterinary capabilities, offering extended know-how and expertise.

 

Matrix Gemini Veterinary LIMS was chosen as the preferred solution.  “We were keen to find a robust information management system for our diagnostic laboratory. But it also needed to be a flexible and scalable solution that would grow with our business. We wanted a LIMS vendor who would listen to our requirements and adapt the solution over the long haul to meet the needs of our fast-growing business,” said Charlie Pinkham, Veterinary Surgeon and Director of BioTe.

 

The system includes built-in Matrix Configuration tools, allowing user screens to be configured by authorized users using the graphical editor. Reports have been designed to provide appropriate certificates of analysis containing the required results for clients. As a scalable solution Matrix Gemini can grow to accommodate additional users, locations, and functionality as the needs of BioTe evolve.

@AutoscribeLtd #LIMS #Veterinary

Veterinary LIMS case study.

Autoscribe Informatics has just released a new case study in conjunction with the Irish Equine Centre (IEC) who have replaced their legacy Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) with Matrix Gemini. This has not only improved laboratory workflows and introduced efficiencies, but also allows laboratory data to be used in combination with other data sources for real time business analysis.

The Irish Equine Centre, based in Dublin (IRL), is a leader in equine and other animal diagnostic services. It serves over 600 veterinary practices across Ireland and overseas, A renowned international research facility, it is one of just three OIE (the world organization for animal health) reference laboratories for equine influenza in the world.

The case study shows why a new approach to LIMS was required. None of the data held in the legacy LIMS could be accessed for use elsewhere as part of an integrated view, which was essential for business intelligence requirements. In addition, only about 40% of the laboratory testing data was being held in the LIMS – the rest resided in a mixture of Word and Excel files, data that was also difficult to access..

Although the project was demanding, the configurable approach provided by Matrix Gemini allowed the Autoscribe configuration team to meet all of IEC’s requirements. Since fast turnround times are essential to the efficient management of equine health, the LIMS was configured to streamline laboratory workflows.

“The IEC solution is the latest in a string of veterinary LIMS that we have installed around the world including the UK, Qatar and Australia,” commented Tim Daniels, Marketing Manager at Autoscribe Informatics. “Matrix is now the main core laboratory application for the IEC and acts as a customer relationship management (CRM) system, managing clients from a laboratory point of view. Their laboratory instruments are integrated directly into Matrix, allowing faster result data input and eliminating transcription errors.”

#LIMS #Ireland @AutoscribeLtd @IrelandEquine

LIMS for horses.

Scone Equine Group has chosen the Matrix Gemini Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) from Autoscribe Informatics to handle the workflow and test management of the samples for its veterinary laboratory at the Scone Equine Hospital located in Scone, New South Wales in Australia. The order follows a LIMS configuration requirements workshop held on-site for Scone staff by Autoscribe Informatics, which included detailed discussions of their actual workflows and the benefits that a LIMS could bring.

“We chose Matrix Gemini Veterinary LIMS as it fits the needs of Scone Equine Group perfectly,” said Managing Director, Dr. Cameron Collins. “Its flexible configuration tools will allow us to implement the many workflows specific to our laboratory, particularly those required during the busy breeding season. After the on-site workshop with Autoscribe Informatics, it was clear Matrix Gemini would provide the best LIMS solution to transform our laboratory business, improving efficiency and turnaround times for results to our clients.”

Matrix Gemini LIMS can be used to control, manage, organize and document the receiving of samples into the veterinary laboratory; allocate resources; schedule tests; enter raw results; calculate final values and compare to expected values, and generate and issue reports. Features such as rapid barcode scanning, automated invoicing and short code dictionaries (animal species, etc.) reduce the time needed for tracking work in the system. This in turn allows a higher volume of business to be undertaken and enables easy record management.

The powerful and easy to use configuration tools provided by Matrix Gemini provide the flexibility to meet the requirements of any veterinary laboratory. These tools allow the setup and modification of workflows, screen designs, menu designs, terminology, numbering schemes, report designs and much more without the need for programming or esoteric scripting languages.

Bob Blunden, Director Australasia at Autoscribe Informatics, said: “I am delighted that Scone Equine Group has decided to order the Matrix Gemini LIMS from us. It reflects both on the versatility offered by Matrix and the local presence and support being provided by Autoscribe Informatics Pty Ltd as a permanent base in the Australasia region. We have recently taken on additional staff to meet the increasing business opportunities in both Australia and New Zealand.”

Located in the heart of Australia’s thoroughbred breeding country and across four key horse regions in NSW and Victoria, Scone Equine Group delivers excellence in equine veterinary health. Scone Equine Hospital is the largest equine veterinary practice in Australia, delivering service and care to all horses, from the elite athletes to children’s ponies and from new-borns to retirees. With registered specialists in Equine Surgery and Equine Medicine and highly experienced senior veterinarians, Scone Equine Hospital provides a world-class service including full equine surgery, equine medicine, diagnostic imaging, equine reproduction, neonatal, intensive care, laboratory, pharmacy and a referral service.

 @AutoscribeLtd  #Laboratory #Australia #LIMS