Abstract:
In recent studies, researchers can easily record the
behaviors of animals by digital video cameras, which provide
high functionality at reasonable cost. However, it is a laborious
and time-consuming manual task for them to extract the useful
behavioral data from these videos. We recently proposed a
tracking method for unmarked multiple honeybees in a flat
arena, named the “K-Track” algorithm. The algorithm can
successfully identify and track nearly 90% of interaction cases of
targets. In this study, we proposed an improved method for the
existing K-Track algorithm by tracking results using backwardplay
movie. If the tracking results differed between the forward
and backward episodes, one of them had probably resulted from
correct tracking. Therefore, by comparing the forward and
backward trajectories of the same interaction, we assumed that
there is the potential for an increase in tracking accuracy. In the
experiments, K-Track using backward movies successfully
tracked four out of five situations that was failed by original KTrack
and we confirmed that the method has the potential of
improved tracking accuracy.
