PhD ThesisThe research outlined in this thesis presents novel applications of wearable sensors in
the domain of animal behaviour assessment. The use of wearable sensing technology,
and in particular accelerometry, has become a mainstay of behaviour assessment in
humans, allowing for detailed analysis of movement based behaviour and health monitoring.
In this thesis we look to apply these methodologies to animals and identify
approaches towards monitoring their health and wellbeing. We investigate the use of
the technology in the animal domain through a series of studies examining the problem
across multiple species and in increasingly complex scenarios. A tightly constrained
scenario is presented initially, in which horse behaviour was classi ed and assessed in
the context of dressage performances. The assessment of lying behaviour in periparturient
sows con ned to gestation crates examines a scenario in which the movement
of the subject was constrained, but not predetermined. Expanding this work to include
sows housed in free-farrowing environments removed the movement constraints
imposed by the gestation crates. We examine the implications of the use of multiple
sensors and how this might a ect the accuracy of the assessments. Finally, a system for
behaviour recognition and assessment was developed for domestic cats. Study animals
were free to move and behave at their own discretion whilst being monitored through
the use of wearable sensors, in the least constrained of the studies. The scenarios
outlined herein describe applications with an increasing level of complexity through
the removal of constraints. Through this work we demonstrate that these techniques
are applicable across species and hold value for the wellbeing of both commercial and
companion animals.European Union's Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement
number 613574 (PROHEALTH). This project has also received funding from the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) in the form of a studentshi
