Libraries of life-connecting learners with bio-collections via augmented reality collection

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Anne Basham, Austin Mast, and Nico Franz

Arizona State University, USA
Florida State University, USA

: J Comput Eng Inf Technol

Abstract

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The National Science Foundation is investing millions of dollars in a massive digitization effort of some 1 billion natural history collections that exist in the U.S. with an estimated 3 billion globally (Kemp, 2015). As a result of this digitization effort massive amounts of digital data and assets are being generated which will further scientific and biodiversity research and collaboration. ARPEO (Augmented Reality for Public Education and Outreach) is a Working Group with the NSF funded organization iDigBio which leads a nationwide effort in the digitization of natural history collections. ARPEO aims to promote awareness on the potential benefit of specimen-based learning tools that connect collections and their data with marginalized audiences beyond the scientific community. Augmented reality specimen cards serve as an exciting, new education and outreach tool aimed to promote engagement and accessibility to biodiversity specimens which largely still remain hidden from public view in U.S. museums, universities, field stations, and other institutions. The Libraries of Life team is collaboration between the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Resource for Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (iDigBio) and a growing number of Thematic Collections Networks (TCNs). iDigBio is focused on creating digital, webdeployed information about the nation’s biodiversity specimens to benefit science and society. Arizona State University’s Anne Basham, founder of ExplorMor Labs and Nico Franz director of BioKIC (Biodiversity Knowledge Integration Center) with the ASU Natural History Collections, and Florida State University’s Austin Mast (Department of Biological Science and iDigBio) lead development of the cards and app.

Biography

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Email: annebasham@asu.edu