IDTools Newsletter

September 2012

	Lucid Key Server latest updates more...		Lucid Mobile in development more...
	Lucid in China details more...		Lucid Brisbane Workshop details more...
	New Lucid Keys Rainforest keys, Keys to invasive weeds, Wheat diagnostic key, Pasture selection tool and other keys more...

Lucid Key Server Update

The Lucid Key Server recently was upgraded and now includes a number of new web services designed to enhance integration with other systems and applications. Also an additional non-flash based image viewer has been added. Try out some keys here.

Lucid Mobile – in development

Lucid’s long history of development and support in the identification software market place has made it the leading technology in delivering identification and diagnostic keys around the world. Currently, the Lucid platform supports Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh (OSX), Linux and Sun Solaris systems: Lucid keys can be distributed via CD/DVD, USB, or directly across the Internet – either via a Java Applet edition of the Player or the web 2.0 server-side edition of the Player (see above).

To complete the key delivery options, our programmers are currently working on a mobile version of the Lucid Player. The mobile Lucid Player application is being developed for both Apple and Android platforms. It is expected an Android edition will be released first. The Lucid Builder will also see a number of enhancements to optimise keys deployed to the mobile Player. The Lucid mobile Player application will allow Lucid keys and content to be directly accessed from the device without the need for Wi-Fi or 3G connections.

These interface mock-ups indicate how the Lucid iPhone/Android app might appear.

Lucid in China

Chinese Entomology Conference

An exclusive licence has recently been negotiated with Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences to market and distribute Lucid within the People's Republic of China. This new partnership will soon produce and distribute a Chinese language version of Lucid provides a unique opportunity to make Lucid technology available in China.

Matt Taylor recently visited China finalise the Lucid agreement and to give a series of presentations and workshops.

Lucid Brisbane Workshop

The Lucid team recently held a one-day workshop in Brisbane, Australia on Friday the 26th August. The workshop covered a range of topics and was designed to be suitable for those with a range of experience in developing Lucid keys. Since we have had a number of requests from potential participants who were not able to attend the August workshop, we plan to hold another workshop early in 2013. The cost of the workshop will be $295.00 AUD, including course materials, morning and afternoon tea and lunch. A 20% discount on Lucid v3.5 will also be available to workshop participants. If you would like to express an interest to receive further details, please contact Michelle Ford.

New Lucid Keys

Rainforest keys

Two keys for identifying rainforest plants

Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants is an interactive identification and information system for 2154 species of trees, shrubs and vines of northern Australian rain forests. New modules are being developed on orchids, herbs and ferns. This key has been developed over 40 years by a team including CSIRO, the Australian Tropical Herbarium, the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre and the Federal Government. It is now freely available at www.anbg.gov.au

Rainforest Trees, Shrubs and Climbing Plants - based on the popular Rainforest Trees and Shrubs A field guide to their identification (Harden, McDonald & Williams 2006) and Rainforest Climbing Plants A field guide to their identification (Harden, McDonald & Williams 2007) books. The key will include enlarged descriptions of the species and the drawings of Gwen Harden. Along with 10,000 photographic images largely the work of Hugh Nicholson. Coverage includes rainforest trees, shrubs and climbing plants of subtropical eastern mainland Australia (i.e. south of the Tropic of Capricorn at Rockhampton to southern Victoria).

This key is due for release late 2012 and will be available as a USB based product. For further information, contact Gwen Harden Publishing

Keys to invasive weeds

Over the past 10 years the Lucid team has worked closely with weed scientists at The University of Queensland to develop a number of weed keys. The most recent key is for identifying Environmental Weeds of Australia. It covers over one thousand weeds, contains tens of thousands of photos and is available on DVD. With sponsorship from Biosecurity Queensland, this weed key is now also freely available online.

In developing Environmental Weeds of Australia and other weed keys, a database of descriptive data and images for over 2,000 weed species has been compiled, enabling the Lucid team to share this data with weed scientists in other countries, enabling them to rapidly develop weed keys for their specific regions. Data and fact sheets for most of the 100 important invasive weed species of concern in East Africa have recently been provided to colleagues in that region, enabling them to utilise the Australian key data to produce an East African key.

Since the original fact sheets for the weed species included in the Australian weed keys were developed using Fact Sheet Fusion (FSF) it was very easy for East African colleagues to edit these fact sheets, to include custom details such as weed distribution in East Africa, and to apply their own specific template for their fact sheets. This key is now available online.

Our weed key database has also been used by colleagues in New Zealand as an important component of their national weed key. For more information about the Lucid/FSF weed key database, please contact Greg Blackburn.

Wheat Diagnostic key

Lucid is not only used as an identification tool, it has been used as a crop diagnostic tool for rice and sweetpotatoes. The most recent example is a Lucid diagnostic tool for wheat, developed by the Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia. Visit their website for a tutorial and to access the Diagnostic key.

Pasture selection tool

Another use of Lucid is illustrated by a plant selection tool developed through a collaborative project by Pastures Australia. In this case, users are presented with a map of Australia and select the State/Territory and then the region they are located in. This information is then transferred to a Lucid selection tool – allowing users to continue to select specific site conditions and the use to which they want to put the pasture species. This then provides a short list of suitable species that meet the user’s specific requirements. You can access this plant selection tool here.

Other new keys

Recently developed Lucid keys that have been posted to Lucidcentral by their authors can be accessed here. Below are some recent keys:

Keys that are available can be accessed here.