Cell Population Dynamics Monitoring in Video Based on Integral Optical Flow and Motion Maps

A method for monitoring cell population movement in microscopic video-sequences based on integral optical flow and motion maps is proposed. Through adjustment and calibration of the optical system and averaging consecutive frames, high-quality subsequent images are obtained. Short-term dynamic characteristics are determined by optical flow. Based on optical flow, integral optical flow is calculated and used to create motion maps, and these maps are used to analyze and describe motions in any region of interest. Therefore, different types of cell movements, including directional motion, aggregation and dispersion can be identified. The proposed method does not require training, it can be used for situation monitoring and analysis, or as a component of comprehensive systems. Experiments performed on synthesized and real microscopic video images demonstrate the effectiveness of this method.