Through the eyes of animals

Humans are a step closer to seeing what the world looks like through the eyes of animals, thanks to technology developed by researchers from The University of Queensland and the University of Exeter. PhD candidate Cedric van den Berg from UQ's School of Biological Sciences said that, until now, it had been difficult to understand how animals saw the world. "Most animals have completely different visual systems to humans, so for many species it is unclear how they see complex visual information or colour patterns in nature, or how this drives their behaviour," he said. "The Quantitative Colour Pattern Analysis (QCPA) framework helps solve that problem. "The framework is a collection of software and hardware, combining innovative image processing techniques with digital visualisation and analytical tools. "Collectively, these tools greatly improve our ability to analyse complex visual information through the eyes of animals." The QPCA is designed to analyse calibrated digital images from both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. These images can be captured using both off-the-shelf cameras and purpose-built camera systems.