EAGER-Enabling Partnerships to Enable Science (TOOLS): AnyFish: a User-Friendly Software Package for Creating Realistic Animations for Animal Behavior

这个项目旨在为研究人员、教育工作者和学生开发用户友好的软件anyFish，他们希望根据真实世界中关于鱼的行为、形状和颜色的数据来开发逼真的、科学严谨的计算机动画。该软件将用于产生用于行为实验的刺激，以及用于教育用途的互动模块。该软件将允许对集体行为、社会互动和认知理论进行严格测试。学生将广泛熟悉电脑游戏中的模拟系统，通过激发学生对科学、生物和动物行为的兴趣，使其成为将学生带入STEM项目的特别强大的工具。一个基于AnyFish的模块将被整合到虚拟生物学教育软件包中，用于高中和大学层面的探究式教育。AnyFish还将使学生以最低的预算轻松参与原创研究。一台台式电脑就可以用来创建和回放刺激，实验需要几个水族箱。在规模较小、服务于少数群体的机构中，学生将能够设计和执行严格的、最先进的动物行为实验。

This project seeks to develop user-friendly software, anyFish, for researchers, educators, and students seeking to develop realistic, scientifically rigorous computer animations of fish based on real-world data on behavior, shape, and color. The software will be used to produce stimuli for use in behavioral experiments, as well as interactive modules for educational use. The software will allow rigorous testing of theories of collective behavior, social interactions, and cognition. Students will be widely familiar with analogous systems in computer games, making it a particularly powerful tool to bring students into STEM programs by piquing the interest of students in science, biology, and animal behavior. A module based on anyFish will be integrated into the Virtual Biology educational software package for inquiry-based education at high school and college levels. anyFish will also make it easy for students to participate in original research on a minimal budget. A single desktop computer can be used to create and play back stimuli, and a handful of aquaria are required for the experiments. Students at smaller and minority-serving institutions will be able to design and execute rigorous, state-of-the-art experiments in animal behavior.