Based on existing biodiversity data information standards and taking into account information from WG1, WG2 will develop common standards and guidelines for digitisation of different types of collections and collection objects, linking complementary expertise of information technicians and biodiversity and geoscience researchers. The information to be shared through the standards and guidelines refers primarily to large-scale digitisation of 2D and 3D objects, including micro-CT and surface scanning technologies, and the development of the respective infrastructure at the European and international scale. Information about novel techniques will be shared with SME partners. Guidelines for the respective technical framework and standardised workflows for the digitisation process will be developed.
New concepts and products (software, equipment etc.) will be discussed and, if necessary, evaluated. Existing standards already implemented by various national and international initiatives will be integrated into harmonised common guidelines.
Objectives for Year 1 (October 2018 – September 2019):
- People Identifier standards
- Scoping and structure of deliverable
- Creation of Open Science Framework workspace
Objectives for Year 2 (October 2019 – September 2020):
- People Identifier standards
- Practices and standards for quality georeferencing
- Minimal Information for Digital Specimens (MIDS) standard
Objectives for Year 3 (October 2020 – September 2021):
- Crowdsourcing for Natural History Collections
- Machine Learning on Images of Natural History Collections
- Practices and standards for quality georeferencing
- Minimal Information for Digital Specimens (MIDS) standard
Objectives for Year 4 + extension (October 2021 – March 2023):
- People Identifier standards
- Image capture standards and guidelines
- Practices and standards for quality georeferencing
- Minimal Information for Digital Specimens (MIDS) standard
- Final digitisation guidelines deliverable
For all activities and outputs please visit https://osf.io/59e8r/wiki/home/
| Co-chair(s) | Country | contact e-mail |
| Elspeth Haston | UK | ehaston [at] rbge.org.uk |
| Arnald Marcer | SP | arnald.marcer [at] uab.cat |
| Joaquim Santos | PT | joaquim.santos [at] uc.pt |