Automated pose estimation in primates

Abstract

Understanding the behavior of primates is important for primatology, for psychology, and for biology more broadly. It is also important for biomedicine, where primates are an important model organism, and whose behavior is often an important variable of interest. Our ability to rigorously quantify behavior has, however, long been limited. On one hand, we can rigorously quantify low-information measures like preference, looking time, and reaction time; on the other, we can use more gestalt measures like behavioral categories tracked via ethogram, but at high cost and with high variability. Recent technological advances have led to a major revolution in behavioral measurement that offers affordable and scalable rigor. Specifically, digital video cameras and automated pose tracking software can provide measures of full-body position (i.e., pose) of primates over time (i.e., behavior) with high spatial and temporal resolution. Pose-tracking technology in turn can be used to infer behavioral states, such as eating, sleeping, and mating. We call this technological approach behavioral imaging. In this review, we situate the behavioral imaging revolution in the history of the study of behavior, argue for investment in and development of analytical and research techniques that can profit from the advent of the era of big behavior, and propose that primate centers and zoos will take on a more central role in relevant fields of research than they have in the past.

Nonhuman primate abnormal behavior: Etiology, assessment, and treatment

“…For such systems, the primates may need to wear different colored jackets, each of which is recognized and tracked separately by the monitoring system (Ballesta et al, 2014;Rose et al, 2012), although not all systems require this (Walton et al, 2006). Such automated systems reduce the need for staff time for observations or video coding and can often track detailed information about the primates' location and movement patterns (including pacing and stereotypic movement; Hayden et al, 2021). While such systems may not be sensitive enough to detect and record more subtle behaviors that may be of interest, such as self-directed or appetitive abnormal behaviors, software advances are continually being released that offer enhanced capacities (e.g., Bala et al, 2020).…”

The Promise of Behavioral Tracking Systems for Advancing Primate Animal Welfare

“…Here, as a prelude to exploring their applications to welfare, we briefly review these methods. For a longer review on behavioral imaging in primates, see Hayden et al (2021) [13], and for a specialized take, see Bain et al (2021) [14].…”

“…Recent years have witnessed great advances in technology that allows for the tracking of animals, including primates [10][11][12]. We use the term "behavioral imaging" to refer to these technologies [13]. Behavioral imaging has attracted a great deal of interest for its potential applications to neuroscience, psychology, zoology, and ethology, among other fields.…”

Deep-learning based identification, tracking, pose estimation, and behavior classification of interacting primates and mice in complex environments

“…Yet, such pose-estimation-based behavior classification remains a labor-intensive and error-prone process as we show below. Moreover, pose estimation in primates is difficult to achieve with current methods 26 .…”

“…Yet, such pose-estimation-based behavior classification remains a labor-intensive and errorprone process as we show below. Moreover, pose estimation in primates is difficult to achieve with current methods 26 . Here, we demonstrate a complementary approach for researchers who automatically seek to identify behaviors of interest.…”