What is RodentLimb?
RodentLimb is an iPhone app for limb-level analysis of mouse behavior videos. A pose model finds seven body points in every frame. The app then scores three widely used motor and behavior tests:
- Tail suspension: immobility, latency, bouts, tail climbing and hindlimb clasping.
- Cylinder test: forelimb use during rearing (left, right, both) and its asymmetry.
- Gait analysis: stance and swing of each paw, stride, duty factor, base of support, interlimb coordination and gait pattern.
It belongs to the same family as RodentFlow (centroid tracking and statistics) and RodentPose (whole-body pose for open-field and maze assays).
The seven keypoints
| Keypoint | Color in the app |
|---|---|
| Left forepaw (LF) | blue |
| Right forepaw (RF) | red |
| Left hind paw (LH) | green |
| Right hind paw (RH) | violet |
| Tail base | pink |
| Nose | amber |
| Mouth | light blue |
Left and right refer to the animal's body. If your camera mirrors the image, use Swap left/right in Parameters.
What makes it different
- Runs once, re-analyze freely. Pose detection runs once per video. All thresholds, analysis windows and calibration can be changed afterwards, and results update immediately.
- Everything is in body lengths. Distances and speeds are scaled to the animal's own nose–tail-base length, so settings carry over between cameras and zoom levels. A cm scale is optional.
- You can check every number. The review player draws the keypoints on the video. For the cylinder test, every contact can be replayed and relabeled.
- Export-ready. CSV files and a methods paragraph with your exact parameters and references, always in English.
- Private. No account, no network, no analytics. See the privacy policy.
Requirements
iPhone or iPad with iOS 17 or later. Interface languages: English and Simplified Chinese (switch in Settings).
Research use
Automated scores support, but do not replace, blinded review of the video. Validate each setup against manual scoring before drawing conclusions; see Validation.