Usecase

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What was Encounternet designed to do?

Encounternet was originally conceived as an association logging tool to use in songbird social network research. Soon after the idea was developed, it became obvious that many other questions could be addressed with this tool, and many other researchers might benefit from having access to it. Since then, we have discussed the idea with numerous scientists who study animal social behavior, and many, particularly those studying smaller animal species, have been enthusiastic about the possibility of using Encounternet to study their own organism.

This tool will be invaluable to any researcher who studies social behaviors in animals, and/or who wants to monitor interactions, associations, spatial and temporal factors in sociality, social networks, and behavior. Encounternet may also find use in epidemiological studies that monitor movement and association patterns of disease vector animals (e.g., raccoons, rodents, birds, and even humans). Though Encounternet is designed for use with small animals, larger animal research may also benefit greatly from the other features unique to the system, including: autonomous data collection, wireless re-configurability, and the acquisition of behavioral and physiological data via onboard sensors. Encounternet will be small enough that implantation may also be an option for long term studies in some species.


Use case scenarios

tutor eavesdropping by yearling songbirds

Example application of Encounternet to study eavesdropping behavior in yearling song sparrows. Tagged adult song sparrow males stay within their territory boundaries and interact with neighbors. Tagged juveniles roam throughout the neighborhood and observe and learn from the behavior of adults. In addition to encounter monitoring tags mounted on birds (“roving nodes”), “fixed node” data collection stations are placed in fixed locations in the habitat. When two tagged birds come into range (detection range is adjustable) each node logs the other’s ID number and the encounter time. When a tagged bird nears a fixed node, the fixed node acquires the roving node’s encounter logs. All tagged bird interactions are recorded and bird positions can be estimated by analyzing the signal strength of roving-fixed node links.
Example application of Encounternet to study eavesdropping behavior in yearling song sparrows. Tagged adult song sparrow males stay within their territory boundaries and interact with neighbors. Tagged juveniles roam throughout the neighborhood and observe and learn from the behavior of adults. In addition to encounter monitoring tags mounted on birds (“roving nodes”), “fixed node” data collection stations are placed in fixed locations in the habitat. When two tagged birds come into range (detection range is adjustable) each node logs the other’s ID number and the encounter time. When a tagged bird nears a fixed node, the fixed node acquires the roving node’s encounter logs. All tagged bird interactions are recorded and bird positions can be estimated by analyzing the signal strength of roving-fixed node links.
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