New developments for theLibraries of Life project and app

Please

@taxonbytes

Nico Franz1 & Anne Basham1

Austin Mast2

1 School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University2 iDigBio & Biological Sciences, Florida State University

TDWG 2016 – Biodiversity Information Standards

December 09, 2016 – Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (#TDWG16)

@ http://www.slideshare.net/taxonbytes/franz-et-al-tdwg-2016-new-developments-for-libraries-of-life

Try @ http://www.libraries-of-life.org/

More than meets the eye. . .Connecting audiences with collection specimensusing augmented reality technologies

Libraries of Life

Insectarium Prototype 2012/2013 • Concepts and prototype tools for an augmented

reality specimen-based learning application were first developed in 2012/2013.

App statistics in 2016• Tested with ~ 2,000 museum visitors• Pilot tests classrooms & labs underway • 2,845 user sessions; 6,400 screen views• 5-6 minutes average user time with app• Nearly 3,000 visitors to LoL website

• The app uses Augmented Reality technologies to link disconnected objects and their data; and places them within a meaningful context using superimposed digital information.

Libraries of Life - since 2016

3-D Digitization Workflow — Imaging LifeThe imaging method used in Libraries of Life is called photogrammetry and involves obtaining 40-80 images at 360 degrees of each specimen. Images are taken using a professional grade digital camera, followed by stacking the images, and then creating a 3-D model using various photo stitching software tools such as AgiSoft.

In the past 3-D imaging of biocollections in the scientific community has largely been associated with expensive microCT Scans.

Although this can provide scientists with important measurable information about structure and morphologies they do not retain color and external texturing which is preferable when teaching about taxonomy and species identification. It is also not preferred or feasible for mass digitization efforts.

Like Libraries of Life, other groups such as Digital Life are envisioning the 3-D digitization of all life using photogrammetry methods.

http://www.digitallife3d.com/

Future Implications and Areas of Research as an Educational Tool:

• Do objects need to be physical objects to promote meaningful learning and engagement with collections? • What different learning impacts and outcomes might there be between virtual over physical objects? • What role and impact might new immersive technologies have in the classroom? • The potential of crowd-sourcing of 3-D digitization methods using photogrammetry methods. Table 1: Comparative chart showing key differences between digital and physical specimens as teaching tools

Contact us if interested in joining ARPEO:

Project Director: Anne Basham, ASUannebasham@asu.edu

Austin Mast/iDigBio, Project Co-Lead Florida State University amast@bio.fsu.edu

www.libraries-of-life.orghttps://sketchfab.com/ExplorMorLabshttps://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Augmented_Reality_Public_Outreach_Working_Grouphttp://www.digitallife3d.com/

NIBA/BCoN Resourceshttps://bcon.aibs.org/resources/ http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/collections.html

Sources and references