Development and validation of a video analysis software for marine benthic applications

Our aim in the EU funded JERICO project was to develop a flexible and scalable imaging platform that could be used in the widest possible set of ecological situations. Depending on research objectives, both image acquisition and analysis procedures may indeed differ. Up to now the attempts for automating image analysis procedures have consisted of the development of pieces of software specifically designed for a given objective. This led to the conception of a new software: AVIExplore. Its general architecture and its three constitutive modules: AVIExplore — Mobile, AVIExplore — Fixed and AVIExplore — ScriptEdit are presented. AVIExplore provides a unique environment for video analysis. Its main features include: (1) image selection tools allowing for the division of videos in homogeneous sections, (2) automatic extraction of targeted information, (3) solutions for long-term time-series as well as large spatial scale image acquisition, (4) real time acquisition and in some cases real time analysis, and (5) a large range of customized image-analysis possibilities through a script editor. The flexibility of use of AVIExplore is illustrated and validated by three case studies: (1) coral identification and mapping, (2) identification and quantification of different types of behaviors in a mud shrimp, and (3) quantification of filtering activity in a passive suspension-feeder. The accuracy of the software is measured comparing with visual assessment. It is: 90.2%, 82.7%, and 98.3% for the three case studies, respectively. Some of the advantages and current limitations of the software as well as some of its foreseen advancements are then briefly discussed.