The customer:
Center for Human Genetics, Laboratory of Neurogenetics at K.U.Leuven.
Researchers at the Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics of the K.U.Leuven perform frontline research focused on molecular and cellular mechanisms to address questions relevant to major human health challenges. They use, amongst others, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to study cellular diversity and specialization of the nervous system. They do that by combining classic molecular genetic and cellular tools, but also by studying the behavior of the flies in response to specific sensory (visual, olfactory, ...) stimuli.
Behavior research mainly relied up till now upon human observations whereby observers watched the flies and described their behavior in semi or non-quantitative data. However, with the advent of high speed imaging camera’s and tracking software, it should be feasible to describe the behavior of the animals in response to changes in their sensory environment much faster, more robust and more quantitatively. For this, we developed FlyWorld.
The solution :
FlyWorld 1.0 is an observation station that allows you to program a series of stimuli by a ‘Stimulus experiment Planner’ and which then tracks the flies in up to 4 dimensions during the experiment. The analysis software quantifies the behavior and presents the results in ‘behavioural’ output features. The hardware of FlyWorld 1.0 consists of a +/- 3.500 cm³ box equipped with one or more high speed CCD cameras. On two sides of the box, LED-screens allow for the introduction of visual stimuli. Colored LED lights can mimic the day/night cycle while Infrared lights are used for recording in the dark. Tubes allow the delivery of olfactory or gustatory stimuli.
FlyWorld 1.0 is a research platform that can be adapted to the needs of the researcher having specific research questions.
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