Re: Looking for volunteers with free time and scanners :)
gardenchat@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Looking for volunteers with free time and scanners :)
  • From: <s*@earthlink.net>
  • Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:05:36 -0700
Chris, a most interesting project! I wish you well with it. Sorry there is not much I can do to help. 
--Barb, Grass Valley CA
----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher P. Lindsey" <lindsey@mallorn.com> 
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 4:45 PM
Subject: [CHAT] Looking for volunteers with free time and scanners :)



Hi guys,

I started a project for hort.net recently that I hope to roll out in
spring, 2011.  In true Chris fashion it's much too large of a project for
me to do alone, but I'm going to try something different and ask for help.

I'm trying to set up a virtual herbarium -- plant parts are scanned
along with a gray swatch (for color correction) and a penny (for scale),
cropped, and saved.  The plan is to write software that will:

  . automatically color correct the scans
. automatically measure the sizes of the leaves (a penny is .75" exactly) 
  . analyze the range of colors on all specimens for a given plant
  . analyze the leaf shape for use in dichotomous keys and to
    calculate surface area, etc.

Leaves will be scanned both from the top and the bottom to note any
differences.  Other aspects of the plants, such as fall color, will also
be scanned.  Leaves or flat plant parts will be the only characteristics
scanned initially, and all plants need to be identified/labeled correctly
first.  Cultivars with notable leaf differences will also be scanned.

What I'm looking for is people who are willing to scan leaves and send
them to me.  Fall (and then winter!) is coming fast, so there's not much
time.  If I have a decent catalog of plant material to work with I can do
much of the programming over the winter.

I'm interested in cataloging *everything* -- weeds, houseplants, trees,
shrubs, ferns, vines..  If it fits on your flatbed scanner, I want it.
:)

I try to do a dozen or so per day.  I walk a different route home from
work, collect leaves from plants that I know, then scan them while working
on the computer or watching TV.

So...  If you're interested in participating, send me an email and I'll
give you more information.

Thanks!

Chris

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