Extending Track Analysis from Animals in the Lab to Moving Objects Anywhere

In this chapter we compare two application domains in which the tracking of objects and the analysis of their movements are core activities, viz. animal tracking and vessel tracking. More specifically, we investigate whether EthoVision XT, a research tool for video tracking and analysis of the behavior, movement, and activities of animals in a laboratory setting, can be adapted and applied to the tracking and analysis of vessels in the maritime domain. The investigation involves a case study where EthoVision XT is used to detect vessels speeding in zones reserved for anchored vessels. A few important differences between animal tracking in a laboratory and vessel tracking at sea were observed while executing the case study. The maritime domain, as opposed to the laboratory, requires to take into account: the curvature of the earth; objects that temporarily disappear from view; a volatile and dynamic set of objects; changing roles of vessels at sea; and irregularly arriving, non-time-equidistant data samples. The conclusion is that for EthoVision XT fundamental modifications, adaptations, and extensions are necessary to make this tool generally applicable in the maritime domain. Instead of a redesign and refactoring of EthoVision XT, the design and realization of a new tool is preferred. The new tool will benefit from our experiences and insights obtained by exploring similarities and differences between application domains from the perspective of a single research tool.