Automated Mosquito ID to Support Timely Decision-Making

描述（由申请人提供）：蚊子传播的疾病正在全球范围内蔓延。监测蚊子数量是疾病传播风险评估的一个基本要素。在监测时，由于一系列程序瓶颈，往往会损失宝贵的时间，并影响准确性。问题在于处理诱捕捕获物（蚊子识别和性别鉴定）、将数据制成表格并将信息报告给适当的个人的劳动密集型任务。通过开发自动节肢动物识别设备（AID），ISCA技术公司建议克服信息流中的这些瓶颈和准确性问题，以支持及时决策。我们的初步数据表明，它是可行的，积极确定飞行蚊子的物种和性别在几分之一秒。ISCA将开发一个记录和储存诱捕器捕获数据（监测诱捕器捕获的蚊子数量和识别，并附有时间和日期戳）的装置，这些数据将通过一系列步骤在一个中央地点进行处理，为决策者提供简明报告。自动化不仅可以提供对蚊子种群动态的即时估计，以便及时做出决策，还可以更频繁地对种群进行采样，以辨别种群的规模是在增长还是在减少。这种类型的信息将最终提高蚊子减少计划在时间和空间上的效率。一个可靠的，但负担得起的，现场设备，自动识别和量化蚊子诱捕器捕获数据的成功开发将在推进目前用于监测蚊子种群的技术取得长足进步。联合收割机将这项拟议的技术与我们公司已经提供的能力（将诱捕器捕获数据无线集成到自动化互联网支持系统）相结合，病媒控制的实践将被转变到一个新的理解水平，为制定新的、更有效的病媒控制标准提供坚实的基础。我们的服务器将“即时”诱捕器捕获数据与人工神经网络和地理信息系统功能相结合，将产生为决策者设计的最新简明易懂的报告。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.