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MARGO (Massively Automated Real-time GUI for Object-tracking), a platform for high-throughput ethology

View ORCID ProfileZach Werkhoven, Christian Rohrsen, Chuan Qin, View ORCID ProfileBjörn Brembs, View ORCID ProfileBenjamin de Bivort
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/593046
Zach Werkhoven
Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology & Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, 02138
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Christian Rohrsen
Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology & Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, 02138
Institut für Zoologie - Neurogenetik, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Chuan Qin
Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology & Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, 02138
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Björn Brembs
Institut für Zoologie - Neurogenetik, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Benjamin de Bivort
Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology & Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, 02138
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  • For correspondence: debivort@oeb.harvard.edu
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Abstract

Fast object tracking in real time allows convenient tracking of very large numbers of animals and closed-loop experiments that control stimuli for multiple animals in parallel. We developed MARGO, a real-time animal tracking suite for custom behavioral experiments. We demonstrated that MARGO can rapidly and accurately track large numbers of animals in parallel over very long timescales. We incorporated control of peripheral hardware, and implemented a flexible software architecture for defining new experimental routines. These features enable closed-loop delivery of stimuli to many individuals simultaneously. We highlight MARGO’s ability to coordinate tracking and hardware control with two custom behavioral assays (measuring phototaxis and optomotor response) and one optogenetic operant conditioning assay. There are currently several open source animal trackers. MARGO’s strengths are 1) robustness, 2) high throughput, 3) flexible control of hardware and 4) real-time closed-loop control of sensory and optogenetic stimuli, all of which are optimized for large-scale experimentation.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
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Posted March 30, 2019.
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MARGO (Massively Automated Real-time GUI for Object-tracking), a platform for high-throughput ethology
Zach Werkhoven, Christian Rohrsen, Chuan Qin, Björn Brembs, Benjamin de Bivort
bioRxiv 593046; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/593046
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MARGO (Massively Automated Real-time GUI for Object-tracking), a platform for high-throughput ethology
Zach Werkhoven, Christian Rohrsen, Chuan Qin, Björn Brembs, Benjamin de Bivort
bioRxiv 593046; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/593046

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