How to Identify Objects Inside Other Objects in Volocity

The Internalize Objects task in Volocity allows you to identify objects that are entirely contained within other objects by assigning them a Parent ID. This feature is useful for establishing hierarchical relationships between objects in different series, such as identifying smaller structures enclosed within larger ones.

How the Internalize Objects Task Works:

• Objects from one series that are completely within the same object in another series are assigned the same Parent ID.
• Parent IDs are not generated for objects that are not entirely enclosed within objects from the second series.
• To use this task effectively, you must first retain objects from the first series using the Retain Objects task.

Steps to Identify Objects Inside Other Objects:

1. Identify, Measure, and Retain Objects in the First Series:

   • Use the Retain Objects task to retain and name the objects in the first series.
   • This step is essential for specifying the first set of objects in the Internalize Objects task.

2. Identify and Measure Objects in the Second Series:

   • Perform object identification and measurement on the second series.
   • This step ensures that the second set of objects is available for comparison.

3. Internalize Objects:

   • Use the Internalize Objects task to analyze the relationship between the two sets of objects.
   • Objects from the first series that are entirely enclosed within objects from the second series will be assigned the same Parent ID as their enclosing object.

Example Workflow:

• First Series: Identify and retain small objects, such as cell nuclei, using the Retain Objects task.
• Second Series: Identify and measure larger structures, such as cell boundaries, in a second series.
• Internalization: Use the Internalize Objects task to determine which nuclei are contained within specific cells. Nuclei entirely inside a cell boundary will be assigned the same Parent ID as the cell.

Key Notes:

• Parent ID Assignment: Only objects fully enclosed within another object will receive a Parent ID. Objects partially overlapping or outside the enclosing object will not be assigned a Parent ID.
• Measurement Protocol: Ensure your measurement protocol includes the following tasks in this order:
  1. Retain Objects for the first series.
  2. Identify and Measure Objects in both series.
  3. Internalize Objects to establish parent-child relationships.

By following these steps, you can effectively identify and analyze nested objects, enabling hierarchical data analysis in Volocity.