EAPSI: A Novel Approach to Subsea Length Estimation Using Cameras in Parallel and Open-Source Software.

自20世纪50年代开始对珊瑚礁进行生态研究以来，科学家记录了表明渔业种群及其栖息地整体健康的鱼类种群长度。传统的鱼类长度估计方法是以潜水员为基础的，研究人员在水下观察鱼类并手工记录长度估计。由于水的光学性质，这些估计是困难的，并且容易受到研究人员的偏见。通常，鱼的长度被平均，并被分成几个大小类别(例如，5-10厘米、11-20厘米、21厘米)。为了提高水下长度估计的准确性，可以使用立体摄像机，其中两个摄像机并行运行，软件计算感兴趣的物体的长度，精确到最接近的毫米，这一数值比基于潜水员的视觉普查技术更准确。与传统方法相比，使用这些系统的问题是成本高，这阻碍了广泛使用。准确的鱼长记录对于渔业资源管理者确定珊瑚礁系统的整体健康至关重要，以确保它们为子孙后代保持健康。在这项研究中，我将使用OpenCV开源软件工具和低成本的GoPro水下摄像机来开发一个基于水下潜水员的立体视频系统，成本仅为现有系统的一小部分。在台湾，我将与东海大学的科林·温博士合作，他是目前鱼类长度估计技术的专家。此外，我的低成本系统将与中央研究院的温博士和陈艾伦博士合作使用，以支持目前对台湾具有重要商业价值的渔业物种的调查。该奖项由东亚及太平洋暑期学院计划资助一名美国研究生进行暑期研究，由美国国家科学基金会和台湾科技部共同资助。

Since the dawn of ecological studies of coral reefs in the 1950s, scientists have documented lengths of fish populations which indicate the overall health of fishery stocks and their habitat. The traditional method for fish length estimations is diver-based, where a researcher observes fish underwater and records length estimations by hand. Due to the optical properties of water these estimations are difficult and subject to researcher biases. Generally, fish lengths are averaged and grouped into a few size classes (Ex. 5 - 10cm, 11 - 20cm, 21 cm+). To increase the accuracy underwater length estimates, stereovideo cameras can be used, where two cameras are run in parallel and software calculates lengths of objects of interest to the nearest millimeter, a magnitude of greater accuracy than diver-based visual census techniques. The problem with using these systems over traditional methods is the high cost, which prevents widespread use.Accurate fish length records are critical for fishery resource managers in determining the overall health of coral reef systems to ensure that they remain healthy for future generations. In this study I will use OpenCV open-source software tools and low-cost GoPro underwater video cameras to develop an underwater diver based stereovideo system at a fraction of the cost of currently available systems. In Taiwan, I will be working with Dr. Colin Wen of Tunghai University, an expert on current fish length estimation techniques. Additionally, my low cost system will be used in collaboration with Dr. Wen and Dr. Allen Chen of Academia Sinica, in support of a current survey of commercially important fishery species of Taiwan. This award, under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program, supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan.