Forest Service Research & Development International Programs

United States Department of Agriculture

An Automated Field-level Wood Identification System

Shelley GardnerUSDA Forest Service

202.644.4554shelleygardner@fs.fed.us

Forest Service Machine Vision

• Botanical identification of wood and wood products is a limiting factor for enforcing laws that combat illegal logging and accurate wood identification in the marketplace

• Human capacity is limited– Time to train– Cost of training– Mobility of individuals

The Problem

Forest Service Machine Vision

Build a machine vision system that can be used as a field deployable tool to identify woody taxa.

Need a technological rather than a human solution

The Project

Forest Service Machine Vision

Patterns in Woods – 3D and 2D

The Project

Forest Service Machine Vision

A simple image A 3D representation

Anatomy of a Digital Image

Forest Service Machine Vision

• Digital imaging can be more sensitive than the human eye

• These systems collect copious amounts of data

• The collected data can be mined to enhance the knowledge of wood anatomical structure

The Approach

Pros

• Requires robust programming

• Needs Big Data

Cons

Forest Service Machine Vision

The ApproachDevelop an open system• Utilize smart phone• Utilize open source software• Have a central database• Repeatable• Easy-to-use• Economical

Forest Service Machine Vision

Summary

Take-Home Message• This is an extremely accurate, field-

deployable, easy to use wood identification system that anyone able to operate a smart phone can use.

Forest Service Machine Vision

Questions?

• USDA Forest Service is looking for cooperators to develop this into a smart phone app

• Contact Shelley Gardner, Illegal Logging Program Coordinator at• shelleygardner@fs.fed.us • 202.644.4554