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Main Menu - Block
- Overview
- Anatomy and Histology
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy
- Electron Microscopy
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Targeting and Transgenics
- Immortalized Cell Line Culture
- Integrative Imaging
- Invertebrate Shared Resource
- Janelia Experimental Technology
- Mass Spectrometry
- Media Prep
- Molecular Genomics
- Primary & iPS Cell Culture
- Project Pipeline Support
- Project Technical Resources
- Quantitative Genomics
- Scientific Computing Software
- Scientific Computing Systems
- Viral Tools
- Vivarium

Abstract
Background
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Many Drosophila species use acoustic communication during courtship and studies of these communication systems have provided insight into neurobiology, behavioral ecology, ethology, and evolution.
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Recording Drosophila courtship sounds and associated behavior is challenging, especially at high throughput, and previously designed devices are relatively expensive and complex to assemble.
Results
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We present construction plans for a modular system utilizing mostly off-the-shelf, relatively inexpensive components that provides simultaneous high-resolution audio and video recording of 96 isolated or paired Drosophila individuals.
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We provide open-source control software to record audio and video.
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We designed high intensity LED arrays that can be used to perform optogenetic activation and inactivation of labelled neurons.
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The basic design can be modified to facilitate novel study designs or to record insects larger than Drosophila.
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Fewer than 96 microphones can be used in the system if the full array is not required or to reduce costs.
Implications
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Our hardware design and software provide an improved platform for reliable and comparatively inexpensive high-throughput recording of Drosophila courtship acoustic and visual behavior and perhaps for recording acoustic signals of other small animals.
bioRxiv Preprint https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.09.574712