The capacity to generate large amounts of image data creates the need of ways to store it. An optimal soultion for this is to reposite your data in existing databases that are dedicated for longevity and are connected to global diversity initiatives. The citizen-science gallery of Nordic Microalgae (NuA) is such a repository. This concept has been made possible through collaborations with the local online resource Nordic Microalgae, being maintained by Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) and Swedish Biodiversity Data Infrastructure (SBDI). In turn, SBDI is a part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), making sure the collected data ends up affiliated with the most relevant repositories. Here is a simplified user manual describing how to upload images to NuA.

With the capacity to generate large amounts of image data comes the need of ways to process and analyse the incoming data. To distinguish, identify and quantify microorganisms not only requires sufficient equipment (high magnification microscope) but foremost extensive taxonomic knowledge. This knowledge and skill is unfortunately in short supply and limited to a certain processing speed. If we are to process large amounts of data, for broad quantitative purpose, manual methodology becomes very expensive and time consuming.

Recent years advances in, and availability of, open-source libraries for machine learning (eg TensorFlow and OpenCV) has made development of object detection and classification models more accessible. Employing AI to assist in the identification and quantification of microscopic organisms would then enable for the processing of large amounts of images. It is within the scope of the BysjöBot project to, in collaboration with taxonomy and AI experts, explore and evaluate the opportunities and limitations of AI-assisted identification and quantification of microorganisms. These tools will then be added to the workflow.

This webpage, with all its contents, is to be considered under contruction and not a final product.
Links and descriptions to related solutions and protocols will continously be updated and made available.