The goal of this project is to develop a highly automated approach to the classification of insect specimens. It includes the development of computer vision and machine learning algorithms for automatic classification of insects from images according to family, genus, and species. It also involves designing and building a mechanical device that can transport insects through the field of a microscope and automatically photograph them. Potential applications include measuring soil biodiversity (by counting "mesofauna," small mites and beetles) and monitoring freshwater stream health (by counting stonefly larvae that live in the streams).
(Faculty: Shapiro)