Automated Mosquito ID to Support Timely Decision-Making

描述（申请人提供）：蚊媒疾病正在全球传播。监测蚊子种群是疾病传播风险评估的一个基本要素。在进行监控时，由于一系列程序瓶颈，往往会损失宝贵的时间，并降低准确性。问题在于处理捕获物（蚊子鉴定和性别鉴定）的劳动密集型任务，将数据制表，并将信息报告给适当的个人。通过开发一种自动节肢动物识别装置（AID）， ISCA技术公司建议克服这些信息流瓶颈和准确性问题，以支持及时决策。我们的初步数据表明，在几秒钟内确定飞行蚊子的种类和性别是可行的。ISCA将开发一种记录和存储陷阱捕获数据的设备（在带有时间和日期戳的监测陷阱中捕获的蚊子的数量和识别），这些数据将通过一系列步骤在一个中心位置进行处理，从而为决策者生成简明的报告。自动化不仅可以提供蚊子种群动态的即时估计，从而及时做出决策，还可以更频繁地对种群进行抽样，以辨别种群数量是在增长还是在减少。这类信息最终将在时间和空间上提高灭蚊计划的有效性。成功开发一种可靠而又负担得起的现场设备，自动识别和量化蚊子捕获数据，将在推进目前用于监测蚊子种群的技术方面取得巨大进展。将该技术与我们公司已经提供的功能（将捕获数据无线集成到自动化互联网支持系统）相结合，病媒控制的实践将转变为一个新的认识水平，为开发新的、更有效的病媒控制标准提供坚实的基础。将“瞬时”捕获数据与我们的服务器提供的人工神经网络和地理信息系统功能相结合，将为决策者提供最新、简明、易读的报告。这种“最新报告”将像“多普勒雷达”一样为决策者服务，在全球病媒控制领域创造一个新的利基市场。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mosquito-borne diseases are spreading worldwide. The monitoring of mosquito populations is an essential element in risk assessment of disease transmission. When monitoring, valuable time is often lost and accuracy compromised due to a series of procedural bottlenecks. The problem lies in the labor-intensive task of processing the trap-catch (mosquito identification and sexing) tabulating the data, and reporting the information to the proper individuals. Through the development of an automated arthropod identification device (AID), ISCA Technologies proposes to overcome these bottlenecks in information flow and issues of accuracy to support on-time decision-making. Our preliminary data indicate that it is feasible to positively identify flying mosquitoes to species and gender in a fractions of seconds. ISCA will develop a device that records and stores trap-catch data (quantity and identification of mosquitoes caught in monitoring traps with the time and date stamp), which will through a series of steps, be processed in one central location to generate concise reports for decision-makers. Automation will not only provide instantaneous estimates of mosquito population dynamics, allowing for timely decision-making, it will allow for a more frequent sampling of the population to discern whether the population is growing or dwindling in size. This type of information will ultimately increase the efficacy of mosquito abatement programs both in time and space. The successful development of a reliable, yet affordable, field device which automatically identifies and quantifies mosquito trap-catch data will make great strides in advancing the techniques currently used to monitor mosquito populations. Combine this proposed technology together with capabilities already provided by our company (wirelessly integrating trap-catch data to an automated internet support system) and the practice of vector control will be transformed to a new level of understanding providing a solid basis for the development of new, more effective, vector control standards. The merging of "instantaneous" trap-catch data with an artificial neural network and GIS capabilities provided by our servers will yield up-to-date concise easy-to-read reports designed for the decision makers. This type of "up to the minute reporting" will serve decision makers like a "Doppler radar', creating a new niche in the worldwide field of vector control.