title: SwarmSight: Measuring the temporal progression of animal group activity levels from natural-scene and laboratory videos.
abstract: We describe SwarmSight (available at https://github.com/justasb/SwarmSight ), a novel, open-source, Microsoft Windows software tool for quantitative assessment of the temporal progression of animal group activity levels from recorded videos. The tool utilizes a background subtraction machine vision algorithm and provides an activity metric that can be used to quantitatively assess and compare animal group behavior. Here we demonstrate the tool's utility by analyzing defensive bee behavior as modulated by alarm pheromones, wild-bird feeding onset and interruption, and cockroach nest-finding activity. Although more sophisticated, commercial software packages are available, SwarmSight provides a low-cost, open-source, and easy-to-use alternative that is suitable for a wide range of users, including minimally trained research technicians and behavioral science undergraduate students in classroom laboratory settings.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874601, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4601, USA. justas@asu.edu.
authors.forename: Justas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birgiolas
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874601, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4601, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jernigan
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874601, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4601, USA.
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874601, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4601, USA.|School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Crook
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Activity change; Activity detection; Activity levels; Automated behavior assessment; Bees; Birds; Cockroaches; Group activity; Insects; Motion detection; Natural scenes; Software; SwarmSight; Video motion analysis