Following years of measurements in human populations, SocioPatterns has expanded to measuring proximity networks of animals in collaboration with research institutions studying animal behavior and disease transmission. Recent publications include studies of free-ranging domestic dogs in rural Chad, sheep flocks in the UK, and primates.
These deployments use adapted versions of the SocioPatterns wearable sensor technology to measure social contact patterns and proximity networks in animal groups. The goals of these studies range from understanding social network structure in animal populations to developing better models of disease transmission dynamics. The expansion demonstrates the versatility of the measurement approach and opens new research directions at the intersection of animal behavior, social network analysis, and disease ecology.