Automation of Natural History Collections and Bioinformatics: Rapid Optical Data Acquisition and Automated Computerization at INHS

该项目将对大约48.9万份弹尾虫、蓟马、虱子和棘翅目（书虱和树皮虱）的标本进行数字化和计算机化处理，形成一个快速数据采集成像/数据库工作流，该工作流最近在伊利诺伊州自然历史调查的昆虫学馆藏中开发。数字化和计算机化将通过光学扫描玻片制剂和收集标签从乙醇保存的材料（小瓶）实现。批量扫描时，将使用编程语言脚本a)将每个采集对象图像自动捕获到数据库中作为单个标本记录；b)半自动化数据输入到关系数据库字段。对样本数据进行第一次半自动解析后，平均有60%的完整个人记录被自动解析到数据库中。第二次使用计算机脚本和交互式数据输入，恢复剩余的集合对象数据。这个提议的自然历史藏品数字化解决方案的一个重要贡献是实现了一个数据库/软件工作流，该工作流允许将逐字标签数据（图像）与传统的标本级数据库集成。这种新开发的成像/数据库解决方案将改变宝贵的自然历史收藏品数字化的方式，并准确地加快数字化的速度。该工作流将与nsf支持的指定收藏管理软件集成，并在自然历史收藏社区中得到更广泛的应用。该工作流程解决方案的应用将促进对INHS所列昆虫群体的完整管理，为全世界的研究人员和公众提供大量重要的历史和现代收集数据。该项目将为两名研究生、一名数据库技术人员提供培训，并选择生物多样性信息学方面的本科生。该解决方案的可用性将有利于更大的生物收集社区，努力快速数字化，整合和调动收集数据。该项目是一项为期10年的努力的一部分，该努力旨在将美国研究收藏的生物标本相关的科学信息数字化和动员起来。该项目的图像和数字化数据将整合到在线国家资源中，如社区战略计划所述，可在http://digbiocol.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/digistratplanfinaldraft.pdf上获得。

This project will digitize and computerize approximately 489,000 specimens of Collembola (springtails), Thysanoptera (thrips), Phthiraptera (lice), and Psocoptera (book and bark lice) into a rapid data acquisition imaging/database workflow recently developed in the entomology collections at the Illinois Natural History Survey. Digitization and computerization will be achieved by optical scanning of glass slide preparations and collection labels from ethanol-preserved material (vials). Upon batch scanning, programming language scripts will be used to a) automate capture of each collection object image into the database as an individual specimen record; and b) semi-automate data entry into relational database fields. The first pass of semi-automated parsing of specimen data results in an average of 60% of the complete individual record automatically parsed into the database. A second pass using computer scripts and interactive data entry, recovers the remaining collection object data. An important contribution of this proposed natural history collections digitization solution is the implementation of a database/software workflow that allows integration of verbatim label data (imaged) with the traditional specimen-level database. This newly developed imaging/database solution will transform the way, and accurately accelerate the rate, in which invaluable natural history collections are digitized. The workflow will be integrated with the NSF-supported Specify collections management software and be made available for broader use in the natural history collections community. Application of this workflow solution will facilitate complete curation for the groups of INHS insects listed, making available a wealth of critical historical and modern-day collections data to researchers and the public, worldwide. The project will provide training for two graduate students, one database technician, and select undergraduates in biodiversity informatics. Availability of this solution will benefit the greater biological collections community with efforts to rapidly digitize, integrate, and mobilize collections data. This project is part of a 10-year effort to digitize and mobilize the scientific information associated with biological specimens held in U.S. research collections. The images and digitized data from this project will be integrated into the online national resource as outlined in the community strategic plan available at http://digbiocol.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/digistratplanfinaldraft.pdf.