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Re Dave=92s comment, whatever your ultimate interest, the thing you need at=
some point is a species ID.
The current criterion used in the interesting link Ian provides is for at l=
east 20 good images of a species to be available that have been vetted by e=
xperts, for training the AI network so that it can identify a new image to =
a fairly high level of reliability, presumably from a variety of viewing an=
gles. Given the popularity of digital cameras this could be useful for N A=
merican birds (most quite large, not too many species, hoards of amateur ob=
servers some of whom are expert photographers). As for insects, it should =
work also for NS butterflies (few species, all IDs known except perhaps for=
occasional incoming non-native strays, a few expert photographers, main ID=
by wing pattern & colour (=3D easy), existing web site).
Re flies mentioned by Fritz, far less likely to happen for such much larger=
Orders =97 far too many species, many too small to photo without special l=
enses or a microscope, fewer interested observers. A few fly groups have l=
arger, photogenic species (families like syrphids =97 hoverflies) and BugGu=
ide.net<http://BugGuide.net> has hundreds of images of these (~236 come up =
on the page for the large, common alien hoverfly Eristalis tenax, though ~5=
% of images there are actually other species that have leaked into the E. t=
enax page). Many flies, like tachinids, a huge group, have species that a=
re identifiable, if at all, by bristle patterns on particular cuticular pla=
tes that would need posed photographs by an expert down a microscope to see=
.
A larger problem is that whole blocks of the larger insect groups are not e=
ven fully or satisfactoriiy classified (or even identified) beyond the fami=
ly or genus level yet, to species. This is likely to alter only very slowl=
y in the foreseeable future =97 few professional taxonomists, given more se=
emingly attractive career alternatives, just too many unsatisfactory insect=
groupings which professionals assert need revision. If you want a fly=92s=
ID, your best initial bet is BugGuide and ask for help.
Steve (Hfx)
-------------------------------------------------------------
On Feb 17, 2019, at 3:49 PM, Ian Manning <ianmanning4@gmail.com<mailto:ianm=
anning4@gmail.com>> wrote:
Hi Fritz,
In the last six months or so, the inaturalist website added machine learnin=
g functionality to image observations, so now when an image is uploaded it =
will give you suggestions based on their machine learning image recognition=
model, in the video I sent before around the 3-minute mark, Alex Shepard s=
ays the model can ID to common ancestor (higher level taxon) with an accura=
cy of 93%. Each time an observation is uploaded and vetted as "research gra=
de", that image is added to the image analysis training library (used to tr=
ain the model and make it more accurate down the line).
There's lots of other examples of Computer Science folks using Machine Lear=
ning for this type of thing for citizen science (see Merlin like Rick menti=
oned), and also a bunch of more specific/academic purposes, though as far a=
s I know, none are as accessible or ambitious as iNat. Here's some more inf=
o on the computer vision side of things. https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/=
computer_vision_demo
Cheers,
IM
On Sun, 17 Feb 2019 at 15:07, Fritz McEvoy <fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com<mailto:=
fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com>> wrote:
HI Ian,
I've been on iNaturalist for a couple of years now and it is a great w=
ebpage. There are lots of sites like iNaturalist online now and they are re=
ally helpful for having others help you identify a species.
The thing I'm asking about is a program that would allow someone to up=
load a photo and/or maybe some data (size, colour, location and whatever ot=
her ID info you have) of a fly, a leaf or a mouse etc. and have a AI comput=
er program take that photo and/or data and give you its guess as to Genus/s=
pecies identification based on it's algorithms - much like facial recogniti=
on and retina scans work today. All the best.
Fritz McEvoy
________________________________
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> <=
naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>> on beh=
alf of Ian Manning <ianmanning4@gmail.com<mailto:ianmanning4@gmail.com>>
Sent: February 17, 2019 1:43 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] AI and species ID?
Try uploading a photo to iNaturalist and seeing what it comes up with. I th=
ink you'll be impressed.
Cheers,
IM
--
We're mapping research in Southwest Nova Scotia.
Link to your research project/publications here<https://goo.gl/forms/1JkoBR=
WIP3Kbvxl53>.
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Re Dave=92s comment, whatever your ultimate interest, the thing you need at=
some point is a species ID.
<div>
<div>The current criterion used in the interesting link Ian provides is for=
at least 20 good images of a species to be available that have been vetted=
by experts, for training the AI network so that it can identify a new imag=
e to a fairly high level of reliability,
presumably from a variety of viewing angles. Given the popularity of=
digital cameras this could be useful for N American birds (most quite larg=
e, not too many species, hoards of amateur observers some of whom are exper=
t photographers). As for insects, it
should work also for NS butterflies (few species, all IDs known except per=
haps for occasional incoming non-native strays, a few expert photographers,=
main ID by wing pattern & colour (=3D easy), existing web site).  =
;
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Re flies mentioned by Fritz, far less likely to happen for such much l=
arger Or