Biologically inspired robots elicit a robust fear response in zebrafish

Fabrizio Ladu; Tiziana Bartolini; Sarah G. Panitz; Sachit Butail; Simone Macrì; Maurizio Porfiri

doi:10.1117/12.2083633

Biologically inspired robots elicit a robust fear response in zebrafish

Fabrizio Ladu, Tiziana Bartolini, Sarah G. Panitz, Sachit Butail, Simone Macrì, Maurizio Porfiri

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

We investigate the behavioral response of zebrafish to three fear-evoking stimuli. In a binary choice test, zebrafish are exposed to a live allopatric predator, a biologically-inspired robot, and a computer-animated image of the live predator. A target tracking algorithm is developed to score zebrafish behavior. Unlike computer-animated images, the robotic and live predator elicit a robust avoidance response. Importantly, the robotic stimulus elicits more consistent inter-individual responses than the live predator. Results from this effort are expected to aid in hypothesis-driven studies on zebrafish fear response, by offering a valuable approach to maximize data-throughput and minimize animal subjects.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	94290Q
Journal	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	9429
Issue number	January
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2083633
State	Published - 2015
Event	Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 2015 - San Diego, United States Duration: Mar 9 2015 → Mar 11 2015

Keywords

Animal models
Anti-predatory behavior
Anxiety
Biologically-inspired robotics
Zebrafish

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1117/12.2083633

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title = "Biologically inspired robots elicit a robust fear response in zebrafish",

abstract = "We investigate the behavioral response of zebrafish to three fear-evoking stimuli. In a binary choice test, zebrafish are exposed to a live allopatric predator, a biologically-inspired robot, and a computer-animated image of the live predator. A target tracking algorithm is developed to score zebrafish behavior. Unlike computer-animated images, the robotic and live predator elicit a robust avoidance response. Importantly, the robotic stimulus elicits more consistent inter-individual responses than the live predator. Results from this effort are expected to aid in hypothesis-driven studies on zebrafish fear response, by offering a valuable approach to maximize data-throughput and minimize animal subjects.",

keywords = "Animal models, Anti-predatory behavior, Anxiety, Biologically-inspired robotics, Zebrafish",

author = "Fabrizio Ladu and Tiziana Bartolini and Panitz, {Sarah G.} and Sachit Butail and Simone Macr{\`i} and Maurizio Porfiri",

year = "2015",

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T1 - Biologically inspired robots elicit a robust fear response in zebrafish

AU - Ladu, Fabrizio

AU - Bartolini, Tiziana

AU - Panitz, Sarah G.

AU - Butail, Sachit

AU - Macrì, Simone

AU - Porfiri, Maurizio

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - We investigate the behavioral response of zebrafish to three fear-evoking stimuli. In a binary choice test, zebrafish are exposed to a live allopatric predator, a biologically-inspired robot, and a computer-animated image of the live predator. A target tracking algorithm is developed to score zebrafish behavior. Unlike computer-animated images, the robotic and live predator elicit a robust avoidance response. Importantly, the robotic stimulus elicits more consistent inter-individual responses than the live predator. Results from this effort are expected to aid in hypothesis-driven studies on zebrafish fear response, by offering a valuable approach to maximize data-throughput and minimize animal subjects.

AB - We investigate the behavioral response of zebrafish to three fear-evoking stimuli. In a binary choice test, zebrafish are exposed to a live allopatric predator, a biologically-inspired robot, and a computer-animated image of the live predator. A target tracking algorithm is developed to score zebrafish behavior. Unlike computer-animated images, the robotic and live predator elicit a robust avoidance response. Importantly, the robotic stimulus elicits more consistent inter-individual responses than the live predator. Results from this effort are expected to aid in hypothesis-driven studies on zebrafish fear response, by offering a valuable approach to maximize data-throughput and minimize animal subjects.

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KW - Anti-predatory behavior

KW - Anxiety

KW - Biologically-inspired robotics

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JO - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

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Y2 - 9 March 2015 through 11 March 2015

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Biologically inspired robots elicit a robust fear response in zebrafish

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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