Use Of Time-lapse Photography Research Articles

Use of timelapse photography to determine flower opening time and pattern in banana (Musa spp.) for efficient hand pollination

Sterility and low seed set in bananas is the main challenge to their conventional genetic improvement. The first step to seed set in a banana breeding program depends on pollination at the right time to ensure effective fertilization. This study aimed at determining bract opening time (BOT) to enhance efficient pollination and seed set in bananas. A Nikon D810 digital camera was set-up to take pictures of growing banana inflorescences at five-minute intervals and time-lapse movies were developed at a speed of 30 frames per second to allow real-time monitoring of BOT. Genotypes studied included wild banana (1), Mchare (2), Matooke (4), Matooke hybrid (1), and plantain (1). Events of bract opening initiated by bract lift for female flowers (P < 0.01) started at 16:32 h and at 18:54 h for male flowers. Start of bract rolling was at 18:51 h among female flowers (P < 0.001) and 20:48 h for male flowers. Bracts ended rolling at 02:33 h and 01:16 h for female and flowers respectively (P < 0.05). Total time of bract opening (from lift to end of rolling) for female flowers was significantly longer than that of male flowers (P < 0.001). On average, the number of bracts subtending female flowers opening increased from one on the first day, to between one and four on the fourth day. The number regressed to one bract on day eight before start of opening of bracts subtending male flowers. There was a longer opening interval between bracts subtending female and male flowers constituting spatial and temporal separation. Bract rolling increased from partial to complete rolling from proximal to the distal end of the inflorescence among female flower. On the other hand, bracts subtending male flowers completely rolled. Differences in BOT of genotypes with the same reference time of assessment may be partly responsible for variable fertility. Hand pollination time between 07:00 and 10:00 h is slightly late thus an early feasible time should be tried.

Utility of time-lapse photography in studies of seabird ecology.

Marine ecosystems are heavily influenced by a wide range of human-related impacts, and thus monitoring is essential to preserve and manage these sensitive habitats. Seabirds are considered important bioindicators of the oceans, but accessing breeding populations can be difficult, expensive and time consuming. New technologies have been employed to facilitate data collection on seabirds that can reduce costs and minimize disturbance. Among these, the use of time-lapse photography is a potentially effective way to reduce researcher effort, while collecting valuable information on key ecological parameters. However, the feasibility of this approach remains uncertain. Here, we assessed the use of time-lapse photography as a tool for estimating foraging behaviour from breeding seabirds, and evaluate ways forward for this method. We deployed cameras in front of active nests at a colony of black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) during two breeding seasons, 5 nests in 2013 and 5 in 2014, taking pictures every 4 minutes. A subsample of monitored individuals were also equipped with accelerometers. Approximately 100,000 frames, covering incubation and chick-rearing periods, were analysed. Estimates of foraging trip duration from images were positively correlated with accelerometry estimates (R2 = 0.967). Equal partitioning of effort between pairs, predation events, nest attendance patterns and variation in trip metrics with breeding stage were also identified. Our results suggest that time-lapse photography is potentially a useful tool for assessing foraging trip duration and other fine-scale nesting ecology parameters as well as for assessing the effect of bio-logging devices on seabird foraging behaviour. Nevertheless, the time investment to manually extract data from images was high, and the process to set up cameras was not straightforward. To encourage wide use of time-lapse photography in seabird ecology, we thus provide guidelines for camera deployment and we suggest a need for further development of automated approaches to allow data extraction.

Use of time-lapse photography and digital image analysis to estimate breeding success of a cliff-nesting seabird

Development of new methods for obtaining basic demographic data from difficult-to-access breeding colonies and easily disturbed species is an important challenge in studies of seabirds. We describe a method that can generate data concerning annual breeding success of cliff-nesting seabirds or other colonial birds with open nests. Our method requires only a single visit to a colony every second or third year, and is based on the use of automated time-lapse photography. To test our method, we used time-lapse photos to examine the breeding success of Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) in two breeding colonies in Greenland during the years 2011, 2012, and 2014. Based on the analysis of time-lapse photos, we found that hatching success during the 3 yr of our study ranged from 60% to 81%, fledging success from 89% to 95%, and breeding success from 53% to 74% (Table 1). Use of digital image analysis made it possible to differentiate between breeding and non-breeding birds and determine if and when breeding attempts failed or succeeded. The key to making our method a realistic long-term monitoring technique is the use of an automated, formal image analysis to process the thousands of photos from the time-lapse cameras and, more specifically, to reduce a large number of photos to a manageable number. Using our method, we needed 12–22 h per study plot, depending on the number of breeding sites per plot (range = 47–127) and whether it was the first or the second time the plot was analyzed, to obtain our estimates of hatching, fledging, and breeding success. This included time for data preparation, image analyses, visual inspections, and summarizing data in a spreadsheet. We found that our estimates of breeding success were comparable to those obtained by direct observation in the field. An important aspect of using time-lapse technology is to foresee potential reasons why time-lapse cameras might stop taking pictures, for example, equipment failure (camera, timer, or battery) or interference by visitors (e.g., vandalism or theft). As such, thorough testing of time-lapse systems and selecting camera locations less likely to be disturbed are most important. We believe that use of time-lapse photography in combination with digital image analysis to estimate breeding success can be useful for determining the breeding success of other cliff-nesting seabirds and, more generally, other birds that breed in colonies, especially those located in remote areas and where direct observation may disturb birds.

Mobility and self-righting by a free-living mushroom coral through pulsed inflation

Locomotion and self-righting in an overturned juvenile mushroom coral, Herpolitha limax, was documented and analyzed by the use of time-lapse photography. The coral used a series of rhythmic polyp expansions and contractions to move itself. The complete process of the righting took place within six hours, consisting of a stationary phase, a shuffle phase, a sudden flip-over, and a recovery phase. The mouth of the coral may be used to eject water, which can perhaps be applied as a means of jet propulsion. This report demonstrates that time-lapse photography can be applied to analyze all kinds of behavior in marine invertebrates that move too slow for regular observations.

Opportunities for Enhancing Construction Education and Student Internships with Multimedia Tools

Construction education has long been challenged with integrating meaningful classroom education activities with field internships. This paper describes a case study in which educational material was developed with use of time-lapse photography collected by student-deployed cameras on a large, fast-moving construction project. Several distinct construction activities were identified for time-lapse documentation, and corresponding engineering material quantities were computed to show the progression of work. These quantitative estimates were combined with the time-lapse footage in a series of educational video modules, which will be disseminated and archived online for long-term access by students and the public. The video modules were designed to educate students on the various steps involved in a major roadway rehabilitation project and provide them with a more relatable context for the various bid item quantities that they would encounter in their work as student interns and professional engineers. These methods can also be scaled across a variety of educational settings for different types of horizontal and vertical construction projects and thus, result in a more targeted and effective student learning experience.

The use of time lapse photography in an in vitro fertilization programme for better selection for embryo transfer.

The time lapse photography is not a new method for assessing the dynamics of early embryo development in vitro. It has been used many times in the past for studying cleavages and blastulation of embryos of various animal species. However, this technique became available for routine use in an human in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme only a couple years ago and it becomes more and more popular today. The new time lapse systems are using modified microscopes which are positioned within the incubators. The observation of embryos does not need the opening of incubators. By sequential photographing of each embryo separately with camera of low intensity illumination, more than 1400 pictures of embryo are made. All these pictures are collected together and transformed into a short movie with software. This system offers the observation of dynamics of embryo development. The studies, which have used a time lapse technique for studying embryo development, revealed that the timing between different events can be used for predicting its developmental potential. In this paper the advantages and drawbacks of time lapse photography is precisely described. An overview through the published papers analyzing the dynamics of human embryo development from the zygote toward blastocyst is done and new timing parameters for grading zygotes, early embryos and blastocysts are analyzed.

Modeling and measurements of water–vapor flow and icing at low pressures with application to pharmaceutical freeze-drying

A modeling and computational framework for analysis of rarefied water vapor flow and icing in application to pharmaceutical freeze-drying is developed. The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) technique is applied to model the relevant gaseous transport processes in a low-pressure environment encountered in freeze-drying. The developing ice front on a supercooled surface is simulated based on the water vapor mass flux computed from DSMC. Verification of icing simulations has been done by comparison with the analytical solution for a free-molecular flow over a circular cylinder. To validate the vapor flow and icing simulations, measurements of ice accretion in a laboratory-scale freeze-dryer are conducted with the use of time-lapse photography. The simulations corresponding to the measured time-average water sublimation rate agree well with the observed patterns and rates of ice accretion. The developed computational framework has been applied to investigate factors underlying the observed non-uniformity of ice growth. It has been shown that two key factors impact the uniformity of ice accretion: (i) the direction of the vapor flow at the inlet to the condenser which is governed by the geometry of a duct connecting the product chamber to the condenser; and (ii) the pressure of non-condensable gases in the condenser reservoir. The DSMC simulations demonstrate that by tailoring the condensing surfaces topology to the flowfield structure of the water vapor jet expanding into a low-pressure reservoir, it is possible to significantly increase the total rate of vapor removal and improve the overall efficiency of the freeze-drying process.

Time-lapse Photography in the Deep Sea

Time-lapse photography (TLP) has been used in scientific applications for over 100 years, and has been used in deep-sea operations for the last three decades. Here I review the use of TLP in deep-sea science by reference to case studies drawn from a 20-year history of “Bathysnap” (Southampton Oceanography Centre’s TLP system) deployments in the NE Atlantic. Examples are given of: a) echiuran feeding, b) xenophyophore growth, c) benthopelagic scavengers, and d) long-term studies of phytodetritus. Although the technology for TLP will change over time, the concept remains of great value in studying the remote deep-sea environment.

The determination of glacier speed by time-lapse photography under unfavorable conditions

AbstractTwo practical problems in the use of time-lapse photography for the measurement of speed were encountered during the recent surge of West Fork Glacier in the central Alaska Range, Alaska, U.S.A. The first is severe rotational camera instability; we show how natural, unsurveyed features on the valley wall can be used to make the necessary corrections. The second problem is the computation of absolute speed when many different, unsurveyed glacier-surface features are used as targets. We give a method for connecting the data obtained from different targets, and for determining the scale using limited information obtained by surveying. Severe systematic errors can occur unless the angle between the axis of the lens and the direction of horizontal motion is determined.

The determination of glacier speed by time-lapse photography under unfavorable conditions

AbstractTwo practical problems in the use of time-lapse photography for the measurement of speed were encountered during the recent surge of West Fork Glacier in the central Alaska Range, Alaska, U.S.A. The first is severe rotational camera instability; we show how natural, unsurveyed features on the valley wall can be used to make the necessary corrections. The second problem is the computation of absolute speed when many different, unsurveyed glacier-surface features are used as targets. We give a method for connecting the data obtained from different targets, and for determining the scale using limited information obtained by surveying. Severe systematic errors can occur unless the angle between the axis of the lens and the direction of horizontal motion is determined.

Experimental studies of plume dispersion in convective conditions—I

The geometry of a plume dispersing in the along-wind vertical plane in convective conditions has been studied by use of time-lapse photography. A time-averaged plume, or plume envelope, containing the instantaneously looping plume, is defined and shown to be a function of the two dimensionless parameters, X = xw ∗/uz i and z s/Z i, as predicted by Deardorff (1974), where x is the downwind distance, u is the horizontal windspeed, w ∗ is the convective velocity scale, z i is the boundary layer height and z s is the stack or release height. Individual puffs of plume material were released from a 270 m stack and, from their resulting motion, measurements of the most severe updraught and downdraught speeds encountered by the puffs were made. These were shown to have values of roughly 1.5w ∗ and w ∗ , respectively. Furthermore, the convective updraughts are shown to have approximately constant speed for 0.3 < z/ z i < 0.9, where z is the height above the ground, while the downdraughts are approximately constant over the distance 0.1 < z/ z i < 0.3. The data on updraughts and downdraughts were used to construct a kinematic description of the spread of the plume envelope. Integration of the equations of motion of plume material shows that the vertical plume dimension, made nondimensional on division by z i is a function of the dimensionless parameter, X, and the ratio of the height of release, z s , to the boundary layer height. Measurements of the centreline height of the plume envelope, when interpreted in terms of the kinematic model of plume dispersion, allow estimates to be made of the updraughts and downdraughts encountered by the plumes. Downdraught velocities were shown to vary from 0.4 to 1.3w ∗ , while those for updraughts varied from 0.4 to 2.5 w ∗ .

Variation in the naturally occurring rhythm of the estuarine amphipod,Corophium volutator(Pallas)

The endogenous activity rhythm of the estuarine amphipodCorophium volutatorhas been studied by direct observation and with the use of time lapse photography. The rhythm persists under constant conditions having a free running period of between 12 and 13 h, and with activity maxima occurring during the early ebb. Freshly collected animals show a rhythm which is modulated on a semi-lunar basis, the activity maxima being attenuated during the neap tide periods, and the rhythm has also been found to vary in definition throughout the year. The activity pattern is most clearly denned in early summer and autumn, the population becoming arrhythmic during the winter months. The rhythm is relatively unaffected by the ambient light intensity and temperature of the recording conditions, and is evident in all post-natal stages of development. The possibility of mutual entrainment is discussed.

The relationship of glial fibrillary acidic protein to the shape, motility, and differentiation of human astrocytoma cells

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a protein largely limited to astrocytes, was studied in relation to the shape, motility, and differentiation and malignancy of astrocytoma cells in tissue culture by use of time-lapse photography and the immunoperoxidase method. A relationship was observed between the shape of astrocytes and the distribution of GFAP. Spindle-shaped cells showed abundant GFAP in the cell body and processes. In round or polyhedral cells without well developed processes the GFAP was largely perinuclear. As processes developed, GFAP extended out from the nucleus iri dense parallel arrays that radiated into the developing processes. Fully differentiated cells with stellate shape had abundant GFAP throughout. A relationship was also observed between the motility of astrocytes and GFAP. Stellate-shaped cells, showing paucity of locomotion and relatively rigid postures of processes, contained an abundance of GFAP which tended to form dense parallel arrays extending into the processes during their development. Spindle-shaped cells with extending and retracting processes and active migration also contained an abundance of GFAP but not organized into parallel arrays. Bulbous dilatations at the tips of processes (growth cones) contained abundant GFAP. There was also abundant GFAP in the intermittent dilatations along the processes of stellate cells. In contrast to these observations, a retraction of processes, a high degree of plasticity (undulating motion) and multidirectional locomotion were often associated with a paucity of GFAP in less differentiated cells. We hypothesize that GFAP filaments may be inhibitory to great plasticity of motion but not to extension-retraction movements. During mitosis GFAP was sparse at the spindle and in intercellular bridges. Colcemid caused GFAP to disappear from processes and peripheral parts of the cell and to become concentrated near the nucleus. In cultures derived from malignant tumors, undifferentiated and large multinucleated cells usually showed sparsity of GFAP, but occasional well differentiated stellate or spindle-shaped cells containing abundant GFAP were seen. Conversely, although cultures derived from benign tumors may have scattered less well differentiated cells, the differentiated cells with well developed processes were most densely stained and account for the high concentration of GFAP in tissue from these tumors.

Use of Time-Lapse photography to Study Nesting Activities of Birds

Use of Time-Lapse photography to Study Nesting Activities of Birds

Use of time-lapse photography in flight performance evaluation.

Use of time-lapse photography in flight performance evaluation.

Use of Time-Lapse Photography in Tobacco-Curing Research

Use of Time-Lapse Photography in Tobacco-Curing Research

Time-Lapse Photography of an ASDIC Echo-Sounder PPI-Scope as a Technique for Recording Fish Movements During Migration

The use of time-lapse photography in combination with sonar as a means of observing the sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) smolt migration in a large lake is discussed. A description of the gear used is given with some examples of the type of information that can be derived from this technique.The scanning rate of the sonar equipment used, combined with time-lapse photography, resulted in a compression of time to [Formula: see text] when scanning at a range of 400 ft and to [Formula: see text] at a range of 800 ft. A 24-hr period may thus be viewed on film in respectively S and [Formula: see text] when projected at a speed of 24 frames/sec. This speeded-up process facilitates separation of moving targets from stationary ones, even in the clutter of surface and/or ground echoes.Although subject to all the usual vagaries of target identification which accompany use of all echo-sounding gear, analysis of the movies with a time-motion projector appears to give meaningful information on such parameters as the speed and direction of migration or movement, and the distribution of migratory activity throughout a 24-hr period.