Citation

Jackson BE, Evangelista DJ, Ray DD, Hedrick TL. Biol Open 2016; 5(9): 1334-1342.

Affiliation

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016)

DOI

10.1242/bio.018713

PMID

27444791

Abstract

Ecological, behavioral, and biomechanical studies often need to quantify animal movement and behavior in three dimensions. In laboratory studies, a major tool to accomplish these measurements is the use of multiple, calibrated high-speed cameras. Until very recently, the complexity, weight, and cost of such cameras have made their deployment in field situations risky; furthermore, such cameras are not affordable to many researchers. Here we show how inexpensive, consumer-grade cameras can accomplish these measurements both within the laboratory and in the field. Combined with our methods and open source software, the availability of inexpensive, portable and rugged cameras will open up new areas of biological study by providing precise 3D tracking and quantification of animal and human movement to researchers in a wide variety of field and laboratory contexts.

© 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Language: en