Advanced behavioural screening: automated home cage ethology

Animal behaviour has been studied using two approaches, (1) well-controlled experiments focusing on specific responses and (2) those with natural – fuzzy – but biologically relevant conditions. Ideally, one behavioural test should be able to address both. The home cage provided with various stimuli is proposed as an all-in-one possibility. This, however, results in an exponential increase in complexity regarding observation and analysis tools. It seems difficult to accept that behavioural expressions need a mathematical approach to unravel its organisation and meaning. Developments in artificial intelligence and data mining are essential to accelerate this necessary evolution in behavioural sciences.

Section editors:Bart Ellenbroek – Radboud University, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsTwan Ederveen – N.V. Organon, Oss, The Netherlands