Welcome to the FlyVISTA (Fly Video Imaging System with Tracking and Analysis) Documentation.

WHAT: A collection of methods to analyze microbehaviors in freely behaving Drosophila with the goal of determining sleep states.

WHY: Sleep is an essential state whose function remains unknown. Genetic model organisms like D. melanogaster provide an unprecedented opportunity to elucidate the function of sleep and processes that regulate it. However, definition of sleep in flies are crude and oversimplified, relying on a measure of prolonged immobility. An improved and refined definition of sleep is needed to leverage the powerful genetic/genomic and connectomic toolkit of Drosophila.

HOW: FlyVISTA is an integrated platform ranging from custom 3D printed behavioral chambers that allow capturing many hours of freely behaving flies to automated classification of micron scale behaviors. During this process, over 30 points on the animal’s body are tracked using a deep-learning based pose estimation algorithm. This data is then processed to generate a rich set of spatiotemporal features which are used to map individual behaviors. In addition, FlyVISTA includes a gentle but effective closed loop perturbation system to measure arousal threshold of the animals.

Preprint: Deep Phenotyping of Sleep in Drosophila.

FlyVISTA is continually undergoing enhancements. If you have any questions, please contact me.