Researchers have developed an innovative animal-borne data-collection system assisted by artificial intelligence to track previously unobserved behaviors in wild animals. The method uses low-cost sensors to automatically detect and record behaviors of specific interest. The new system greatly outperformed previous random sampling methods in capturing the target behavior and the researchers were able to observe previously unreported foraging behaviors in gulls. These findings can be applied to support further data collection in the wild. Bio-logging is a technique involving the mounting of small lightweight video cameras and/or other data-gathering devices onto the bodies of wild animals.

Bio-logging is a technique involving the mounting of small lightweight video cameras and/or other data-gathering devices onto the bodies of wild animals. The systems then allow researchers to observe various aspects of that animal's life, such as its behaviors and social interactions, with minimal disturbance. However, the considerable battery life required for these high-cost bio-logging systems has proven limiting so far. "Since bio-loggers attached to small animals have to be small and lightweight, they have short runtimes and it was therefore difficult to record interesting infrequent behaviors," explains study corresponding author Takuya Maekawa. "We have developed a new AI-equipped bio-logging device that allows us to automatically detect and record the specific target behaviors of interest based on data from low-cost sensors such as accelerometers and geographic positioning systems (GPS)."