SMART-BARN: Scalable multimodal arena for real-time tracking behavior of animals in large numbers

Abstract

The SMART-BARN (scalable multimodal arena for real-time tracking behavior of animals in large numbers) achieves fast, robust acquisition of movement, behavior, communication, and interactions of animals in groups, within a large (14.7 meters by 6.6 meters by 3.8 meters), three-dimensional environment using multiple information channels. Behavior is measured from a wide range of taxa (insects, birds, mammals, etc.) and body size (from moths to humans) simultaneously. This system integrates multiple, concurrent measurement techniques including submillimeter precision and high-speed (300 hertz) motion capture, acoustic recording and localization, automated behavioral recognition (computer vision), and remote computer-controlled interactive units (e.g., automated feeders and animal-borne devices). The data streams are available in real time allowing highly controlled and behavior-dependent closed-loop experiments, while producing comprehensive datasets for offline analysis. The diverse capabilities of SMART-BARN are demonstrated through three challenging avian case studies, while highlighting its broad applicability to the fine-scale analysis of collective animal behavior across species.

MCFBM: a behavioral analysis system enabling objective inference of songbirds’ attention during social interactions

“…To achieve high-precision capture of behavior in free-moving condition consistently across individuals, we adapted and modified a marker-based motion capture system, originally designed for larger animals 12,13 , for use with small birds. This modified system is henceforth referred to as MCFBM (Motion Capture for Finch Behavior Measurements).…”

“…To achieve this, we adopted a marker-based motion capture system using just a single camera within a small arena. This contrasts to the typical motion capture system, which necessitates large arenas and rely on calibrated camera arrays 7,13 . While our system currently captures behavior in two dimensions due to its single-camera setup, it successfully captured complex behaviors during social interactions.…”

Gaze tracking of large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) in a motion capture system

“…This system is optimized to track the fine-scale movements of crows, including head movements, while freely moving and interacting with objects or conspecifics. Unlike other labs that have built a motion capture system applicable to the tracking of various animal species ( Nagy et al, 2023 ), we specialized our system for the tracking of crows because crows typically need long habituation periods in a new room (the room was therefore built inside the aviary) and also because the structure of the room was designed to prevent crows from perching in non-trackable areas (wall angle >90 deg) and from damaging the infrared cameras (the cameras were embedded inside the walls; Fig. 2A ) ( Itahara and Kano, 2022 ).…”

A perspective on neuroethology: what the past teaches us about the future of neuroethology

“…Altogether, each tracking method must be carefully evaluated before moving from the lab into the field. Fortunately, technological progress is rapid (Daniel Kissling et al 2014;Nourizonoz et al 2020;Vo-Doan and Straw 2020;Lioy et al 2021;Shearwood et al 2021;Walter et al 2021;Gaidica and Dantzer 2022;Raab et al 2022;Nagy et al 2023), which is reflected by ICN contributions working on tracking techniques. These contributions have increased since the ICN in 2014 from 0.45% to almost 3% (Fig.…”