Understanding the intricacies of brain function and how it controls movement has evolved significantly, from manual observations to modern AI-based techniques. Today, a breakthrough method called GlowTrack is poised to redefine the way we monitor human and animal behaviour.
Meet GlowTrack
Associate Professor Eiman Azim and his team have introduced GlowTrack, a revolutionary non-invasive tracking approach harnessing fluorescent dye markers to train artificial intelligence systems. This cutting-edge technology boasts remarkable features: it's efficient, high-resolution, and adaptable, capable of monitoring a single digit on a mouse's paw or hundreds of landmarks on a human hand. Their findings, published in Nature Communications on September 26, 2023, unveil a broad spectrum of applications spanning biology, robotics, medicine, and more. Azim, the senior author, and holder of the William Scandling Developmental Chair, emphasizes, "Our approach enhances the versatility of powerful artificial intelligence tools in laboratories. Precise movement quantification grants us deeper insights into brain-controlled behaviour and may aid in the study of conditions like ALS and Parkinson's disease."
Overcoming Current Challenges
- Traditional animal movement tracking methods involve manual marking on computer screens, which are prone to errors and time-consuming.
- These methods are typically limited to controlled environments due to AI models needing specific training data.
- Changes in lighting, orientation, camera angles, and other factors can render the model ineffective.
- Researchers have innovatively used fluorescent dye to tag body parts, creating a diverse dataset for AI models.
- This dataset eliminates the need for human annotation and allows models to track movements in various environments and resolutions.
- The breakthrough facilitates easier comparisons of movement data between different studies and labs.
- It enhances experiment comparison and reproducibility, according to Azim.
- First author Daniel Butler compares the fluorescent dye markers to invisible ink, as they can be activated and deactivated instantly to generate a substantial amount of training data.
The Road Ahead
The team envisions a future where GlowTrack's capabilities are leveraged alongside other 3D tracking tools and advanced analysis approaches to uncover patterns within extensive movement datasets. Azim anticipates widespread adoption of their methodology across various fields in need of precise, reliable, and comprehensive movement quantification. He states, "I am excited to see how scientists and non-scientists alike embrace these methods and what unforeseen, unique applications may emerge." GlowTrack promises to reshape the landscape of behaviour tracking, opening doors to a multitude of possibilities.
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