expEatRT

expEatRT is an open-source software framework for real-time monitoring and analysis of eating behavior in research settings. It provides modular data acquisition, event processing, and visualization tools that can be configured for laboratory or remote studies, with an emphasis on reproducibility and interoperability.

Origins and scope: The project arose from collaborations among neuroscience, nutrition science, and computer science labs. The first public release occurred in the late 2010s, and ongoing development relies on community contributions and standardized interfaces under an open-source license.

Architecture and data flow: expEatRT uses a modular design with data adapters that connect sensors such as bite counters, intake devices, and motion trackers to a central event engine. A scripting layer defines experimental protocols, while a browser dashboard provides real-time visualization and reporting. It supports common data formats and time synchronization.

Key features: real-time streams, multi-modal integration, experiment templates, calibration routines, and versioned analysis pipelines. A plugin system enables device support and new analyses, and privacy controls plus audit trails support research compliance.

Applications: expEatRT is used in human eating behavior studies, animal feeding experiments, and clinical trials. It supports both in-lab and remote data collection across multiple sites.

Reception: The framework is praised for extensibility and reproducibility but can pose a learning curve and documentation gaps. Community resources and example repositories accompany releases to assist users.