Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 16:24:00 CDT
Reply-To: "Ethology (Discussions on animal behaviour)"
<ETHOLOGY@SEARN.SUNET.SE>
Sender: "Ethology (Discussions on animal behaviour)"
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From: Ramon Diaz-Uriarte <RDIAZ@macc.wisc.edu>
Subject: Hand held computers in behav. research: summary
Hi,
Recently, I posted a question about hand held computers as
alternatives to traditional paper checksheets in field behavioral
observations. I have included below all the answers I got. Thank
you very much to all for your information (and sorry I didn't thank
each of you individually).
Let me summarize what I have learned:
-if you have the money, The Observer, in Psion machines, could
be to be the way to go (at the end are several messages from
Noldus, the makers of the observer).
- if you can use a "normal" computer (say you work in the lab, and
can use a laptop), a cheaper alternative is to use EthoLog, a
Windows application. EthoLog is very nice freeware, and can be
found in the Web (see below for addresses).
- In terms of hardware, you can use Psion or the HP 200 LX; in
these cases, is up to you to do the programming (or you can use
spreadsheets).
- much more inexpensive, if you can find them, are old machines
like the Atari porfolio or the Tandy (can be found in used
market?); again, the programming is up to you.
As none of the above worked for me, I have been
looking at different programable calculators (mainly HP and TI; a
few Casio and Sharp); pocket organizers do not seem appropriate
(most do not connect to a PC; programming is not available;
awkward data entrance, etc., etc.). I have decided to use the HP-
48G family of calculators. The HP-48G comes with 32K of RAM,
and costs about $100; the HP-48GX comes with 128K of RAM
(easily expandable) and goes for $200 (I found the best prices in
Educalc: 1-800-395-1000). You can connect these machines to
your PC (also Mac) and transfer data at the end of the day as
ASCII files (you can also transfer programs), by using a
connectivity kit ($50).
The use of these calculators for behavioral data recording
can be very flexible [I don't own any shares in HP!]. You can
enter the raw behavioral data by just typing at the command line
(and then saving everything as a list of lists). You can also write
programs, using a Lisp-like language (didn't you always wished
you had the excuse to learn yet another language?). Any one of
these approaches, or a combination, should allow you to get what
you want. It is straightforward to get the time and the time elapsed
between successive events, etc, so recording continuous data is
very easy with simple programs (the TI-92, an otherwise
apparently very nice machine, has no time or date functions; that
immediately excluded it from my list of candidates). If you are
going to write programs for the HP-48G series, you'll probably
want to buy the "Advanced Users Reference manual" ($20), as the
users manual that comes with the calculator does not say much
about programming. (Check out p. 1-63: it is possible to lock the
letter keyboard!)
If you are not dealing with many behaviors, or you are
not using very complicated observation schemes, these machines
might suffice (within the limits of these being calculators, with
small keyboards, etc, etc). It is true that, when buying one of
these machines, you are paying for stuff you don't generally need
in the field while recording behavioral data (e.g., plotting a 3D
function or solving diff. eqs.); but I haven't found anything more
appropriate or tailored to my intended use. A more serious
problem could be the amount of memory; 32K might not always be
enough for a day (for some of my data it would not be enough
some days). If you can team up with someone that uses a similar
system, one of you could have an HP-48G and the other a 48GX;
the one with the 48G could transfer data to the 48GX in the field if
her/his calculator's memory fills up (transfers between 48G series
machines are a painless, easy, thing; no cables required, as it uses
infrared).
If you are going to use the machine in the field, you might
want to protect if from accidents, in particular the display. You
can use a transparent video plastic box (can buy 5 for less than
$3); hold the machine in place, and protect the sides, by covering
the inner lateral sides of the video box with weatherstrip (the foam
stuff for windows and doors, that you buy at a hardware store).
Then cut an oppening in the "door" of the video box, so that you
can just access the keyboard, leaving the LCD protected, when the
box is closed.
If you are considering using these machines, look around
in the Web for discussion groups, their FAQs, etc; there are
plenty of them. There are also some utility programs that will allow
you to write programs for the HP in your PC (using a real-sized
keyboard!), and then transfer the programs to your HP (for
example, look for the files tools.exe and sysrplpc.zip at the site:
ftp://hpcvbbs.external.hp.com/dist/). As a final suggestion, if you
are going to write your own programs, take a look a the paper in
TREE, 1988, vol 3, pp. 146-148, by Whiten & Barton. It's got some
very interesting ideas.
Hope this helps. I am leaving for the field: I'll let you know a year
from now how it worked.
Ramon Diaz-Uriarte
Dept. Zoology, Birge Hall
430 Lincoln Drv.
Madison, WI 53706
***********************************
Sorry that I can't give you any definite information, but you might
want
to try asking sci.bio.ecology or the ECOLOG mailing list your
question
about field data recorders -- this topic was discussed there very
recently
(February or so). If you have world wide web access, you might
try
looking up the messages using the DejaNews archives
(http://www.dejanews.com) or AltaVista (sorry, don't remember the
URL). I
think the topic title was "Vegetation field data & handheld
computers" or
some permutation thereof.
If you need more information about using DejaNews, I'd be happy
to fill
your screen with more.
David Fleck (dfleck@uog9.uog.edu)
Division of Natural Sciences (671)735-2795/2780 fax:734-1299
University of Guam 13.5N lat. 144.7E long.
Mangilao, Guam 96923 USA Time : GMT+10 EST+15
*************************************
Dear Ramon,
Supongo con este nombre que hablas castillano, pero como no
estoy seguro
voy a adelantar en ingles (ademas es mas facil para mi).
We use Psions LZ64 since several years loaded with the Observer
3.0 program.
I don't own shares in the Noldus information technology company
but I can
tell you that their software is very useful and that they are
extremely
helpful to support their customers when learning the program or
when a
problem arises. (I saw you had a response from that company).
One disadvantage of that model of the Psion is the small size of
the
keys. So you must be careful while recording when you have
wrestler's
fingers instead of pianist's ones. One way of decreasing errors
is to cover the keyboard with a cardboard punched with holes
above the
keys which are in use. But Noldus can advise you eventually other
small
computers.
Another important point we learned through (bad) experience. You
must
download the program from a PC to the Psion initially. After the
recordings in the field you must upload your results to the PC for
analysis.
Now, be careful to connect the Psion to the mains when uploading
because
if you get the "battery low" message while uploading you loose all
your
data harvest (and tend to commit suicide...). That's something that
should be mentioned in big letters in the manual instead of
casually in a
given paragraph.
I hope this is of some help.
Good luck.
Frank
Prof.Dr. F.O. Odberg
Dpt. of Animal Nutrition, Genetics, Breeding and Ethology
University of Ghent
Heidestraat 19
B-9820 Merelbeke
Belgium
******************************************
Contact:
Noldus Information Technology b.v.
Costerweg 5
P.O. Box 268
6700 AG Wageningen
The Netherlands
Phone:+31-(0)317-497677
FAX:+31-(0)317-424496
E-mail: info@noldus.nl
WWW: http://www.diva.nl/noldus/
Noldus develops software, integrates systems, and conducts
training for
behaviorial researchers.
Good Luck.
************************************
Dear Ramon Diaz-Uriarte and others!
With regard to the use of hand held computer in registrating
behaviour we
have now extended experience with the use of several different
types.
However, the use of Observer program (now windows based) from
Noldus in the
Netherlands and the PSION Workabout has turned out to be a
very easy to use
and versatile combination. We have used this system as part of
the training
of students in our major ethology course since February this year
and even
students with little or no experience with the use of computers,
and I might
add, a rather hostile attitude towards them, now use the system
with the
greatest naturalness. I can only encourage you and others to start
using
this or similar systems. It makes observations less biased and has
the great
advantage that you can put your observational data directly into
the PC and
statistical analyse programs. We have encountered a few minor
problems, but
most have been solved promptly by the hardware or software
manufacturers.
The one draw back, of course, is that it is far from gratis. It is
something
that should be purchased for student training and not for a single
project.
Since Noldus use a dongle (a hard ware key) to protect their
licenses it is
not possible to copy.
Yours
Anders Lund
##################################################
##########################
#####
Anders Lund e-mail: ALund@ZI.KU.DK
Copenhagen University Phone: (+45) 35321306
Zoological Institute Fax: (+45) 35321299
Dept. of Population Biology
Tagensvej 16
DK-2200 Copenhagen
DENMARK
**************************************
Hi
Last summer I used a Psion Series 3 to collect tree data in the field
in
south Madagascar, and found it most satisfactory, though
perhaps it is
priced a little high for your purposes. This handheld machine is
made
in the UK, calls itself a palmtop computer, and includes a basic
spreadsheet
and a basic wordprocessing package as well as the standard
calculator,
address book, and world time convertor. It takes ordinary AA
batteries
(sadly, not rechargeable ones), it has an optional PC link, and its
output files are compatible with standard Microsoft programs. Its
very
lightweight and I liked the spreadsheet very much - not so keen on
using
the tiny keyboard for typing.
As I recall, in June 1995 the computer, cable and extra RAM card
cost
around 220 UK pounds: I'd expect prices to have dropped by now.
Its
also worth looking round the 2nd hand market if you've time.
The only thing I missed was a square number pad for data entry.
Best of luck
Lera Miles
Centro de Ecologia Aplicada, Universidade de Evora, Portugal
**************************************************
*
An expensive but excellent solution would be the "Observer"
software by
Noldus. They have a WWW site at: http://www.diva.nl/Noldus
The software is written by behavioral biologists specifically for
field
and lab recording of behavior such as you will be doing. You
design a
sampling protocol in a simple form format. The possible designs
are
very flexible, allowing for the recording of events, states, specific
actors, and modifiers to the events and states (for reciprocal
behaviors, etc.). Basically, once you've designed the protocol, the
computer becomes a dedicated behavioral recording device - the
keys are
linked to the various events and states. The software will also do
various analyses of the data or export it to a number of formats.
The
datafiles are in straight ASCII, so it's easy to write alternative
analysis programs.
Most interesting for field applications, they have written drivers
that
will translate the data collection programs into versions that run
on a
broad range of handheld computers and pocket organizers. So
you can
design the protocol in the lab, collect in the field, then download
and
analyze the data back at the lab.
There is also a module that allows you to use it with videotapes in
the
lab. It controls the VCR, and uses a timecode (VITC) on the
videotape,
so the software can keep track of the videotape time as you flip
back
and forth on the tape or use different playback speeds.
The downside, of course, is that it isn't cheap: about US$1,375 for
the
DOS base package (ouch). They're just releasing a Windows
version, so
maybe they'll lower the price on the DOS version. You might be
able to
convince your professor to get it, or get some communal
department
funds together if there are some other people who could use it.
I've been using it to do a rather intricate set of behavioral
recordings from videotape, and I highly recommend it. (No, I have
no
connection with the company - I'm just a happy customer).
The other alternative may be to find a buddy who could do a little
programming for you (if you don't program yourself). Designing
and
programming a simple dedicated behavioral recorder shouldn't be
too
difficult a business. It helps a lot that you know your
requirements
clearly. That makes it possible to quickly arrive at a "final"
version. (The flexibility of a package like the Observer allows
you to easily tinker around with different configurations, but that's
more important when you're beginning observations, rather than
when
you are well into them, as you currently are).
Good luck!
-Dean
--
N. Dean Pentcheff <pentcheff@acm.org> WWW:
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/~dean/
Biological Sciences, Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia SC 29208
(803-777-3936)
PGP ID=768/22A1A015 Keyprint=2D 53 87 53 72 4A F2 83 A0 BF
CB C0 D1 0E 76 C0
Get PGP keys and information with the command: "finger
dean@tbone.biol.sc.edu"
************************************
Hi,
Someone recently asked about hand held computers for use in
their research. I lost this mailing, but I hope this information is of
help. I use a palmtop in my work and find it invaluable. The one I
use is a Psion and it seems to fit all the
requirements. Most importantly, apart from a full word processor,
spreadsheet etc., it comes with its own programming program so it
should be possible to create what you need.
See http://www.psioninc.com
David
============================================
Name:David Appleby
Address:The Pet Behaviour Centre,
Upper street, Defford, Worcestershire.
WR8 9AB.England.
Phone and fax:+44(0)1386 750615
E-mail:appleby@petbcent.demon.co.uk
WWW: http://webzone1.co.uk/www/apbc/pbc.htm
============================================
*******************************************
From: IN%"fronzuto@wsunix.wsu.edu" "Julie A. Fronzuto" 14-
JUN-1996 22:30:22.16
To: rdiaz@macc.wisc.edu
Subject: ethology software
Ramon,
I don't know anything about handheld computers but have used
the
following program for ethological data on a PC. It is freeware and
easy to use. A url where you can download it is under the info
below. I originally found it on the ABS homepage.
Julie Fronzuto
Dept of Zoology
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
EthoLog v1.0
Ethological transcription tool
**************************************************
********************
EthoLog is a tool for the transcription of behavior observation
sessions. The behavioral categories and their key codes are
defined by the user in a text file. EthoLog is designed to deal
with two kinds of events: State Events, which have durations,
and Instant Events, which have times of occurrence (and are
embedded in State Events). You can add Labels to any
registered event, which can act as notes or modifiers. The
transcription sessions can be paused and resumed.
EthoLog generates two text files with a session summary
and the full sequential and timing data. These files can be
loaded to a spreadsheet for further analyses.
EthoLog 1.0 is FreeWare, and may be freely distributed.
The file etholog1.zip contains the following files:
- etho10.exe (the program)
- etho.hlp (the winhelp file)
- example.ctg (an example of categories table)
- cmdialog.vbx (VB library)
- toolhelp.dll (the dll with the TIMERINFO routine)
- readme.txt (this file)
Copy them to any directory you want and create EthoLog
Program Manager icon manually (with the "new" option in the
File menu).
This program was created with Visual Basic 3.0 Professional,
so be sure you have the file VBRUN300.DLL in your system
(it can be found in all Windows repositories in the Net;
look for vbrun300.exe or vbrun300.zip...).
**
Eduardo B. Ottoni
Dept. of Experimental Psychology
University of Sao Paulo
Av. Mello Moraes 1721, Bl.A, Cid. Universitaria
CEP 05508-900
Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
e-mail: ebottoni@usp.br
***
you can down load it from here:
http://www.jumbo.com/home/win/biology/
*************************************************
Dear Ramon,
a very cheap software alternative to the "'Observer" would be
"EthoLog" a shareware programm available on most software
archives
(e.g. SimTel). It is of course by far not as good as the observer but
depending on what you want to it might serve your purposes.
Cheers,
Ruediger
**************************************************
********************
Ruediger Cordts E-mail:
Arbeitsgruppe fuer Ruediger.Cordts@Rz.Ruhr-Uni-
Bochum.de
Verhaltensforschung
Ruhr-Universitaet Tel.: XX49-(234)-700-2364
D-44780 Bochum Fax.: XX49-(2302)-77891
Germany
**************************************************
********************
******************************************
Ramon
I have no experience in the use of this method for behavioural
studies, but i know of a product that might do what you want. I
used
to own an Atari Portfolio (no unfortunately stolen!) that was about
the size of a large calculator, only a little thicker and heavier. I
guess you could find one second hand for well under a $100.
Although
Atari no longer make them another company did continue making
them
under another badge and i have seen them for sale in the UK not
to
long ago, but i can't remember the brand name.
Anyway the reson I think that they would be what you require is
that
they have a DOS compatable operating system (you need to buy a
lead
to plug into your PC), a standard ASCII text editor and more
importantly a Lotus 123 compatable spread sheet so you would be
able
to take all your data and down load straight into 123 or any other
spread sheet such as Exel.
I can't remember how long the batteries used to last but it did have
a socket for an external power supply or battery pack, so you
should
have no problem here!
Anyway hope that was of some use,
Neil Ambrose
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X Neil Ambrose X
X Department of Biomedical Science and Ethics X
X The University of Birmingham X
X Edgabaston X
X Birmingham X
X B15 2TT X
X 0121 414 5390 (W) 0121 427 9839 (H) 0589 236 345 (M) X
X Email - N.Ambrose@bham.ac.uk - Main mail X
X or - nxa585@isdugp.bham.ac.uk - Unix account X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
*********************************8
Dear Mr. Diaz-Uriarte,
Thank you for your e-mail and your interest in The Observer
The Observer 3.0, Base Package for Windows cost US$ 1,735 for
academic institutions.
We are working on a special Student Version of The Observer but
I do
not know the price at this moment yet.
The Observer itself runs on a PC. Several hand-held computers are
supported but you than need special software for translating your
configuration file to a suitable file format for the hand-held
computer you want to use. With the student version it is not
possible
to use a hand-held computer as event recorder.
The Observational Research Kit contains all items for desktop and
mobile collection of data.
A mobile Kit includes:
- The Observer 3.0, Base PAckage for Windows
- The Observer 3.0, Support Package for hand-held computer
- Hand-held computer
- Event recording software on memory card
- Communication cable and communication software
- AC-adapter
ORK with Psion LZ64 (64Kb) US$ 2,790
ORK with Psion Workabout 256Kb US$ 3,205
Please let me know if you have any further questions. I will keep
you
informed about the Student Version
Best regards,
Bart van Roekel
----------------------------------------
Bart van Roekel
Noldus Information Technology
P.O. Box 286
6700 AG Wageningen
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-317-497677
Fax: +31-317-424496
E-mail: B.van.Roekel@noldus.nl
WWW: http://www.diva.nl/noldus/
Dear Dr. Diaz-Uriarte,
I saw this posting on the Applied Ethology network and I would
like
to respond. But let me first introduve myself. My name is Wineke
Schoo and I ma a biologist. I have studied chimpanzees when I
was a
student. Now I work as a consultant for a small software company
in
The Netherlands that is specialized in software (and hardware) for
behavioral research. Among our products are hand-held
computers with
accompanying software. If you want I can send you some
information
about our products and if ypou are interested I could also send
you
some information on local users in your area.. You can also cekck
out our Web page. The address is out the bottom of this message.
Yours sincerely,
Wineke Schoo
Consultant
______________________________________
Noldus Information Technology b.v.
Costerweg 5
P.O. Box 268
6700 AG Wageningen
The Netherlands
Phone: +31-(0)317-497677
Fax: +31-(0)317-424496
E-mail: w.schoo@noldus.nl
WWW: http://www.diva.nl/noldus/
Dear Ramon Diaz-Uriarte and others!
I would like to clarify something about the protection of the
software.
The software contained in any package of The Observer falls apart
in
two categories:
1. Software to set up observational studies (Configuration) and to
analyze observational data (Data Analysis). This is typically done
at a central location.
2. Software to collect observational data (Event Recording). This
is typically carried out at multiple locations, using PC's or
hand-held computers.
A license of The Observer restricts the use of the software in the
first category to a single computer at a time (protected by a
hardware key). The data collection software, however, can be used
on
multiple computers simultaneously without the need for additional
licenses. This applies to the Base Package as well as the various
Support Packages for hand-held computers.
Yours sincerely,
Wineke Schoo
______________________________________
Noldus Information Technology b.v.
Costerweg 5
P.O. Box 268
6700 AG Wageningen
The Netherlands
Phone: +31-(0)317-497677
Fax: +31-(0)317-424496
E-mail: w.schoo@noldus.nl
WWW: http://www.diva.nl/noldus/