Abstract
Here, we present the use of ethoscopes, which are machines for high-throughput analysis of behavior in Drosophila and other animals. Ethoscopes provide a software and hardware solution that is reproducible and easily scalable. They perform, in real-time, tracking and profiling of behavior by using a supervised machine learning algorithm, are able to deliver behaviorally triggered stimuli to flies in a feedback-loop mode, and are highly customizable and open source. Ethoscopes can be built easily by using 3D printing technology and rely on Raspberry Pi microcomputers and Arduino boards to provide affordable and flexible hardware. All software and construction specifications are available at http://lab.gilest.ro/ethoscope.
MeSH terms
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Algorithms
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Animals
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Behavior, Animal / physiology*
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Drosophila melanogaster / physiology*
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Ethology / instrumentation*
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Ethology / methods
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Machine Learning
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Microcomputers
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Printing, Three-Dimensional
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Reproducibility of Results
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Software
Grants and funding
BBSRC
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/ (grant number BB/J014575/1). Received by GFG and QG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. EMBO
http://www.embo.org (grant number ALTF 57-2014). Received by EJB and GFG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Marie Curie
https://ec.europa.eu (grant number H2020/705930). Received by EJB and GFG. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. BBSRC
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/ (grant number BB/M003930/1). Received by GFG and ASF. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.