New Software 'idTracker' Can Track An Individual Within A Group - Works On Fishes & Ants

A new software called 'idTRACKER' has been developed by a team of researchers from Cajal Institute, a neuroscience research center assigned to the Spanish Research Council (CSIC). Based on some newly discovered algorithms, this software is capable of identifying (and therefore tracking) an individual from within a group. Since animals are known to move in groups, they tend to make decisions based on what others in their community do. Video monitoring techniques are in use to study the behavior and now the research team believes that their software has the potential to strengthen the quantitative study of the rules of social interaction for different species.

The idTracker software is capable of tracking an individual animal in a herd using its image that highlights its unique features. The software works fine even if the animal hides or disappears temporarily from the scene and enters it again. At first, the software identification system in idTracker performs a search of the specimens using which the animals can be differentiated. After that, the program identifies and recognizes its image in every frame of the video, thus allowing room for "frame by frame tracking".

idtracker-software-fish-1 idtracker-software-ants
1. Image of a group of zebrafish and their trajectories extracted by idTracker
2. Image of a group of ants. Color silhouettes show each individual’s past trajectory, extracted by idTracker

The idTracker software can also perform the study the same individual in several videos because its 'footprint' is always the same. In their demo tests, the researchers have been able to track fish, flies, ants and even mice. The team is currently working towards a day when this research work can have a larger application such as tracking a single person in a huge crowd (great for government intelligence agencies and crime control branches) and vehicles or parts in a factory.

What are your thoughts on the new tracking software idTracker? Share with us in comments below.

Source: #-Link-Snipped-#

Replies

  • Sharvari Panchbhai
    Sharvari Panchbhai
    I hope this research work can also be used in forests areas to protect endangered species and spot poachers because the forest department has to take up some tedious tasks like deploying sharp shooters,Rapid Response Force along with forest personnel to track them.
    Ecology drones,unmanned aerial vehicles, are being used in some regions to monitor wildlife.

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