Novel methods for the analysis of animal movement: spatial and temporal structure across scale SCIB conference; Charleston SC; Jan 3-7, 2012

动物运动的量化是生物学中不同研究学科的重要工具。例如，开发新突变体的遗传学家使用运动来描述数千条线的表型变化，神经科学家使用运动来了解大脑是如何工作的，动物迁徙模式的变化正在提供对全球气候变化影响的理解。从发育中胚胎内细胞移动的规模到大陆和海洋迁移模式的努力，都受益于计算、自动跟踪和成像方面的新进展。然而，许多最新的工具是在学术实验室内开发的，即使免费提供，也可能需要专业的工程技能才能使用。所有这类项目面临的第二个挑战是，需要制定数学方法来分析通过自动跟踪和移动评估系统产生的大量数据集。因此，计算和传感器硬件的进步创造了前所未有的机会，这是许多生物学家仍然无法获得的。作为解决这一问题的第一步，我们组织了一次研讨会，潜在用户可以在会上了解可用的新工具。该计划旨在鼓励观众之间以及与受邀演讲者之间的互动，以创造合作和共享发展的机会，否则这些机会是不可能的。研讨会将包括11位发言者的演讲，其中包括一名研究生、四名博士后和初级研究员或教职员工。发言者的集合表明，为在这一综合专题中招募最重要的贡献者，同时扩大工程学和生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与，作出了重大努力。

The quantification of animal movement is an important tool in diverse research disciplines within biology. For example, geneticists developing new mutants use locomotion to describe changes in phenotype for thousands of lines, neuroscientists use movement to understand how the brain works, and changes in animal migration patterns are providing understanding of the effects of global climate change. Endeavors ranging from the scale of the movements of cells within developing embryos to continental and ocean migration patterns are benefitting from new advances in computing, automated tracking, and imaging. However, many of the newest tools are being developed within academic laboratories and, even if offered freely, may require specialized skills in engineering to utilize. A second challenge for all such projects is the need to develop mathematical approaches to the analysis of the large data sets produced via automated tracking and movement assessment systems. Thus, advances in computing and sensor hardware have created unprecedented opportunities that are nonetheless unavailable to many biologists. As a first step to address this problem, we have organized a symposium where potential users can become aware of the new tools available. The program is designed to encourage interactions among the audience members and with invited speakers to create opportunities for collaboration and shared development that would not otherwise be possible. The symposium will include presentations by eleven speakers including one graduate student, four postdocs and junior fellows or faculty. The collection of speakers illustrates a major effort to recruit among the most important contributors to this integrative topic while simultaneously broadening the participation of under-represented groups at the interface of engineering and biology.