International Journal of Astrobiology

Table of Contents - 2007 - Volume 6, Issue 04  

Research Article

The Cyborg Astrobiologist: porting from a wearable computer to the Astrobiology Phone-cam

Alexandra Bartoloa1, Patrick C. McGuirea2*, Kenneth P. Camilleria1, Christopher Spiteria1, Jonathan C. Borga1, Philip J. Farrugiaa1, Jens Ormöa3, Javier Gómez-Elviraa4, José Antonio Rodriguez-Manfredia4, Enrique Díaz-Martíneza5*, Helge Rittera6, Robert Haschkea6, Markus Oeskera6 and Jörg Ontrupa6

a1 Faculty of Engineering, University of Malta, Malta e-mail: abbart@eng.um.edu.mt

a2 McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Department of Physics, Campus Box 1169, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA e-mail: mcguire@wunder.wustl.edu

a3 Planetary Geology Laboratory, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA/CSIC), Instituto Nacional Técnica Aeroespacial, Carretera de Torrejón a Ajalvir km 4.5, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid 28850, Spain

a4 Robotics and Planetary Exploration Laboratory, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA/CSIC), Instituto Nacional Técnica Aeroespacial, Carretera de Torrejón a Ajalvir km 4.5, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid 28850, Spain

a5 Dirección de Geología y Geofísica, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Calera 1, Tres Cantos, Madrid 28760, Spain

a6 Neuroinformatics Group, Computer Science Department, Technische Fakultät, University of Bielefeld, P.O. Box 10 01 31, Bielefeld 33501, Germany

Abstract

We have used a simple camera phone to significantly improve an ‘exploration system’ for astrobiology and geology. This camera phone will make it much easier to develop and test computer-vision algorithms for future planetary exploration. We envision that the ‘Astrobiology Phone-cam’ exploration system can be fruitfully used in other problem domains as well.

(Received December 05 2006)

(Accepted June 01 2007)

(Online publication August 22 2007)

Key Words:

Footnotes

* Formerly at the Centro de Astrobiología (INTA/CSIC).

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