Automated Behavioral Phenotype Detection and Analysis Using Color-Based Motion Tracking

The problem of elucidating the functional significance of genes is a key challenge of modern science. Solving this problem can lead to fundamental advancements across multiple areas such starting from pharmaceutical drug discovery to agricultural sciences. A commonly used approach in this context involves studying genetic influence on model organisms. These influences can be expressed at behavioral, morphological, anatomical, or molecular levels and the expressed patterns are called phenotypes. Unfortunately, detailed studies of many phenotypes, such as the behavior of an organism, is highly complicated due to the inherent complexity of the phenotype pattern and because of the fact that it may evolve over long time periods. In this paper, we propose applying color-based tracking to study Ecdysis in the hornworm – a biologically highly relevant phenotype whose complexity had thus far, prevented application of automated approaches. We present experimental results which demonstrate the...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: CRV
• Authors: Alan Shimoide, Ilmi Yoon, Megumi Fuse, Holly C. Beale, Rahul Singh
• Keywords: CRV 2005, Modern Science, Phenotype, Phenotype Pattern, Robotics