SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND CLASSIFYING OBJECTS IN IMAGES, SUCH AS INSECTS AND OTHER ARTHROPODS

• US 20090153659A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fernando Agudelo-Silva, Val R. Landwehr
• Original Assignee: Fernando Agudelo-Silva, Val R. Landwehr
• Inventors: Agudelo-Silva, Fernando, Landwehr, Val R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/026 combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/145 Attracting and catching insects using combined illumination or colours and adhesive surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 3/005 Manual suction tools for catching insects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/46 Descriptors for shape, contour or point-related descriptors, e.g. scale invariant feature transform [SIFT] or bags of words [BoW]; Salient regional features colour feature extraction G06V10/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69

Abstract

A color-based imaging system and method for the detection and classification of insects and other arthropods are described, including devices for counting arthropods and providing taxonomic capabilities useful for pest-management. Some embodiments include an image sensor (for example, a digital color camera, scanner or a video camera) with optional illumination that communicates with a computer system. Some embodiments include a color scanner connected to a computer. Sampled arthropods are put on a scanner to be counted and identified. The computer captures images from the scanner, adjusts scanner settings, and processes the acquired images to detect and identify the arthropods. Other embodiments include a trapping device and a digital camera connected by cable or wireless communications to the computer. Some devices include a processor to do the detection and identification in the field, or the field system can send the images to a centralized host computer for detection and identification.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sticky substrate configured to trap arthropods to be automatically classified;

a color digital camera having a lens and configured to obtain an image of at least a portion of a surface of the sticky substrate and arthropods on the portion of the substrate; and

a communications unit having an interface operable to communicate across an internet, wherein the communications unit is operatively coupled to the camera and configured to receive image information from the camera and to transmit a signal across the internet to a remote receiver, wherein the transmitted signal is based on the received image information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a color filter operatively coupled to the camera to selectively filter light to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a source of selectively colored illumination light selected to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a diffuser on the source of selectively colored illumination light, configured to reduce shadows and make the illumination light more even.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured to obtain a first image using a first selected color of illumination and a second image using a second selected color of illumination.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a command from a remote processor, and, based on the received signal, configured to obtain the image.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to periodically obtain a further image and to transmit another signal to the remote received based on the further image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a chemical repellant to selectively avoid capturing certain types of arthropods.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the substrate includes a chemical repellant to selectively avoid capturing certain types of arthropods.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the substrate includes a color calibration patch.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes an audio output to selectively attract certain arthropods.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a source of front illumination light and a source of side illumination light selected to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a polarized filter operatively coupled to the camera to selectively filter light to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a chemical attractant to selectively attract certain types of arthropods.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the substrate includes a chemical attractant to selectively attract certain types of arthropods.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a taggant station including a surface across which the arthropods would be expected to walk, and including a targeted taggant that selectively attaches (or selectively not attach) to one type of arthropod.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image pre-processor configured to classify one or more arthropod images and generate classification information, and wherein the transmitted signal includes the classification information.

18. A method comprising:

providing a sticky substrate configured to trap arthropods to be automatically classified;

providing a color digital camera having a lens;

obtaining an image of at least a portion of a surface of the sticky substrate and any arthropods on the portion of the substrate, in order to form image information;

receiving the image information from the camera; and

to transmit a signal to a remote receiver across an internet, wherein the transmitted signal is based on the received image information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively filtering light going to the camera in order to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively illuminating the substrate with colored light selected to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising diffusing the colored illumination light to reduce shadows and make the illumination light more even across the surface of the sticky substrate.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

pre-processing the image information, wherein the pre-processing includes classifying one or more arthropod images and generating classification information, and wherein the transmitted signal includes the classification information;

receiving a command from a remote processor and based on the received signal, triggering the obtaining of the image;

using a chemical repellant on or near the sticky substrate to selectively avoid capturing certain types of arthropods;

calibrating the image information based on image information from a color calibration patch, wherein the color calibration patch is on the sticky substrate; and

illuminating the sticky substrate using a source of front illumination light and a source of side illumination light selected to enhance images of arthropods of interest.

23. An apparatus comprising a sticky substrate configured to trap arthropods to be automatically classified, wherein the sticky substrate has a first area that has a first background color and a second area that has a second contrasting background color different than the first background color.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a color digital camera having a lens and configured to obtain an image of at least a portion of a surface of the sticky substrate and arthropods on the portion of the substrate;

a polarized filter operatively coupled to the camera to selectively filter light to the camera in order to enhance images of arthropods of interest;

a communications unit having an interface operable to communicate across an internet, wherein the communications unit is operatively coupled to the camera and configured to receive image information from the camera and to transmit a signal across the internet to a remote receiver, wherein the transmitted signal is based on the received image information;

a source of selectively colored illumination light selected to enhance images of arthropods of interest, wherein the source is configured to direct the light onto the substrate;

a diffuser on the source of selectively colored illumination light to reduce shadows and make the illumination light more even across the surface of the sticky substrate;

an image pre-processor configured to classify one or more arthropod images and generate classification information, and wherein the transmitted signal includes the classification information;

a controller configured to periodically obtain a further image and to transmit another signal to the remote received based on the further image;

a chemical repellant to selectively avoid capturing certain types of arthropods; and

wherein a portion of the sticky substrate includes a color-calibration patch.