Lucid Phoenix

Note: Lucid Phoenix is now part of the Lucid v4 platform Lucid Phoenix functionality has now been merged into Lucid v4. From Lucid v4 you can now produce random access and dichotomous keys.
Click here for more information on Lucid v4.

Lucid Phoenix is a computer based system consisting of a Builder and Player that enables you to create or import traditional, paper-based dichotomous or pathway identification keys. The Phoenix Builder contains a innovative import facility that enables existing paper-based keys to be converted to the Phoenix format, once they have been scanned using an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) program and saved as a text file.

Phoenix keys are interactive, can be enhanced with multimedia, and delivered to your users as a simple and easy way to navigate to a successful identification.

Phoenix keys overcome several disadvantages present in paper-based dichotomous keys.

The development of a Phoenix key automatically checks the internal logic of the key and indicates inconsistencies.
Phoenix keys allow users to seamlessly skip questions (couplets) they can’t answer – solving the ‘unanswerable couple problem’.
Keys can include filters that allow the user to select subsets of taxa. The Phoenix Player then automatically rebuilds and optimises the key ‘on the fly’ for the selected subset(s).
Users are shown a list of matching and discarded taxa during the identification session, images and fact sheets can be accessed at any time to help with the identification process.