4 - To develop a diatom identification system based on graph matching that takes all available morphological information into account and that produces a sorted list with best matches. To test the methods developed, using the databases, in order to access the overall performance of the algorithms and to optimise them by including expert knowledge. As a result, this project will generate software systems for slide scanning, autofocusing, image analysis, and pattern recognition, all optimised for diatom valve images. In parallel, huge image databases will be created, together with taxonomic and ecological descriptions. All software and the image databases will be integrated into taxonomic and ecological database systems, which enable to identify diatoms by means of computer image processing.
Image preprocessing serves to normalise the contrast etc in order to facilitate feature extraction.
Test image databases contain selected diatom images with increasing discrimination complexity. These serve for testing the image analysis tools. General image databases will contain samples of all relevant diatom species to be included in the taxonomic and ecological systems. These images will also be made available, together with analysis software, to all interested scientists. Autofocusing In this task the automisation of slide scanning for diatoms will be studied by linking a computer to a microscope and CCD camera.