WormRACER: Robust Analysis by Computer-Enhanced Recording

Abstract

The pace of scientific high-throughput screening for age-related phenotypes requires the need for developing streamlined and efficacious methods of measuring and quantifying physiological outcomes and at a scale that enables adequate statistical power to measure the variation in populations. Here, we introduce Worm Robust Analysis by Computer-Enhanced Recording (WormRACER), a computationally efficient computer vision software capable of extracting six different crawling and swimming metrics from many animals simultaneously, including worm area, worm length, crawling speed, swimming speed, dynamic amplitude, and wave initiation rate (thrashing). Additionally, we developed a web-based portal that provides metric averages and metric vs time graphs that allow for simple data analysis and quality assurance. WormRACER will facilitate the rapid and quantitative characterization of movement as a facile measurement of healthspan enabling power for high-throughput screening of genetic, environmental, and pharmacological interventions.