The idea of analysing GPS data along timelines is traced back to around 2010.
I knew that it would be a big work and I had no intention to develop it myself. What I did was to "sell" the idea to younger people in occasions like academic conferences and wait for someone to "bite" the bait. I needed to wait for 5 years to get a first positive response: it was when Mrs Chihiro Takahata, a scientist then at Shinshu University (now at Hokkaido University), said "it sounds like an interesting idea" at the international Congress for Wildlife Management held in Sapporo in 2015. I started the development soon after it, when I showed a simple analytic example to her; then, I thought it would be quicker to convince her about the idea. Her then tutor, Professor Shigeyuki Izumiyama at Shinshu University, generously permitted the use of his bear data for the project. Later, his associate Professor Akiko Takii also joined with deer and wild boar data. Further later, Daisuke Muramatsu, then a post Doctoral at Kyoto University, also joined with his sloth data, which was obtained in Manaus, Brazil, in a joint project with Professor Marcelo Gordo at the Federal University of Amazonas. The advice and requests especially from Takii and Muramatsu have been a great help for the development.
to develop this system.
Past Presentations
We have developed various techniques and methods for this system. Noｎe of them are yet published.
The followings are past presentations in academic conferences.
Updates from Ver.9 to Ver.102026/07/10 (Newly as Movements)
Updates from Ver.9-02（final Ver.9）to Ver.10-00
Changed the system name from TimelineAnalyser to Movements.
Chnaged file names from DS to Ch and from TA to An.
Chnaged all sheet names in An file (from TL, AC, TS/TK to OA, CA, PA/PP)
Changed the colours in sheets.
Improved the algorithm for HeightCheck.
Changed the hierarchical structure for displaying overlay charts.
Many other minor chages and bug fixes.
Updates in Ver.9 2025/12/21 (Final Ver.9-02)
Updates after Ver.9-00
Ver.9-02 2025/12/21
Improved the algorithm for analysing fix interval in sheet TimeCheck of file DS.
Added balloon information to the kml file created as an option for LeapCheck of file DS.
Added a function to create a kml file when processing sheet CheckOut of file DS.
Ver.9-01 2025/12/15
Introduced "Bird's-Eye View" and "Fly Around" function.
Changed the positions of the icons for "Click This First" and "About Data" map elements.
Updates from Ver.8 to Ver.92025/11/28
Updates from Ver.8-14to Ver.9-00
Changed a file name (from AN to TA).
Added map elements "Click This First" and "About Data" to the kml file.
Introduced "Initial View" & "Initial State" instead of "Initial" in the kml file.
Added multiple new information items to sheet Data of file TA.
Changed formats in sheet CheckOut of file DS.
Enabled automatic format update when handling old files.
Updates in Ver.8 2025/04/24 (Final Ver.8-14)
Updates after Ver.8-00
Ver.8-14 2025/04/24
Bug fixes in segmentation of tracks.
Bug fixes in calculation of initial evaluation distance for data-size TSD.
Ver.8-13 2025/04/17
Introduced an error trap for transferring template charts.
Ver.8-12 2025/04/15
Bug fixes caused by the previous updates.
Ver.8-11 2025/03/24
Formally introduced "data-size TSD". The previous one is named "Period-length TSD".
Changed Sub ASU to Function ASU.
Enabled to automatically update formats when handling old files.（2024/12/06）
Ver.8-10 2024/11/16
Introduced a new method for setting an initial value of evaluation distance for TSD chart.
Also made multiple options for the distance available.
Changed the name "Number-space density" to "data-size TSD". It is kept a hidden option.
Ver.8-09 2024/11/04
Enable to handle time interval less than 5 minutes (1,2,3
Added the start and end points in the track presented by the kml file. Bug fixes.
Introduced "Number-space density" (negative number in the cell for evaluation time).
Applied it to the data of streaked Shearwater.
Ver.8-08 2024/10/27
Added data-size series to the two charts in sheet AC of file AN.
Made the results invisible when the data size is small.
Enabled to segment fix points by the period of day in sheet TK of file AN.
Ver.8-07 2024/10/21
Fixed a bug in handling sheet AC of file AN.
Ver.8-06 2024/10/17
Minor bug fixes and improvements.
Ver.8-05 2024/10/14
Enabled to handle the time interval less than 15 minutes (5 and 10 minutes).
Ver.8-04 2024/10/09
Enabled Google Earth output in sheet HeightCheck of file DS.
Enabled to map fix points separately by the time of day in sheet TK of file AN.
Ver.8-03 2024/10/06
Fixed a bug in handling sheet HeightCheck of file DS. Improved language management.
Ver.8-02 2024/10/02
Bug fixes in processing time-average values in sheet AC of file AN.
Ver.8-01 2024/10/01
Changed some names. Changed default font type. Reduced file AN size by clearing excess format setting.
Updates from Ver.7 to Ver.8 2024/09/27 (First Open Access)
Updates from Ver.7-08 to Ver.8-00
2024/09/27 Made access to the system partially open with Ver.8-00
2024/09/27 Fixed a bug in making regular time intervals in file AN for the data with offset from 0 hours.
2024/09/26 Enabled to handle more variations in date/time format, including those only with numbers.
2024/09/26 Enabled to deal with data that describes fix failures as 0 for time, latitude, longitude & height.
2024/09/25 Removed the GAP option in LeapCheck of file DS.
2024/09/25 Bug fixes in time-average chart in sheet AC of file AN.
2024/09/23 Added the number to neighbour points for outlier candidates in sheet LeapCheck of file DS.
2024/09/20 Names renewal.
2024/09/19 Enhanced the check for characters that cannot be used for names [\, /, :, *, ?, ", <, >, |, -, @] .
2024/09/18 Enabled to automatically launch Google Earth Pro and open the kml file after it is created.
2024/05/XX Changed sheet name "DataProfile" to "MetaData"".
Updates in Ver.7 2023/10/16 (Final Ver.7-08)
Updates after Ver.7-00
Ver.7-08 2023/10/16
Name change of some macros: DSfileCreator ==> DSCreator; ANfileCreator ==> ANCreator
TimeCheck: Fixed a bug occurring when the number of removals of large-delay in date/time is large.
Ver.7-07 2023/10/15
DSfileCreator: Enabled to zoom in/out when necessary.
TimeCheck: Enhanced handling of unexpected irregular data.
Ver.7-06 2023/10/11
TimeCheck: Fixed a bug occurring when the fix delay is large and close to the next fix schedule.
DSfileCreator: Placed the input of animal ID before the picking of original data.
Ver.7-05 2023/10/10
Fixed a bug occurring with the raw data file being inactive when macro DSfileCreator is executed.
Ver.7-04 2023/10/09
Refixed a bug in the determination of the language (Jap. or Eng.) mode of the system, again.
Ver.7-03 2023/10/07
Refixed a bug in the determination of the language (Jap. or Eng.) mode of the system.
Ver.7-02 2023/07/18
HeightCheck: Fixed a bug that the start and end value outliers cannot be removed.
TimeCheck: Enhanced handling of date/time data which cannot be construed as such or has puzzling value.
Ver.7-01 2023/07/03
Fixed a bug in the determination of the language (Jap. or Eng.) mode of the system.
Ver.7-00 2023/06/29
Updates from Ver.6 to Ver.7-00 2023/06/29
Updates from the final Ver.6 to Ver.7-00. No contents.