Field Data Capture
Summary
- There are 8 posts — by 6 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by nverma at Jul 25 10:07 NZST
At the 2009 Dataversity National Workshop, some interest was expressed in conversations about field data capture: PDAs, data loggers and the like. We have a (newborn) system guide page for practices for field data capture. http://dataversity.org.nz/guide/practices/field_data_capture/ I've scheduled a session on this at the 2010 workshop. Let's warm up to that in advance. If you are using electronic field devices, please share a brief story about these. What devices do you use? What are the successes and issues you have had with them? What practices are effective in the use of field data capture devices? How many of them are sitting at the bottom of streams? What is your best story about losing or nearly losing one? What groups or networks already exist where the use of field data capture gadgets is discussed?
Dan -- Dan Randow Dataversity Facilitator http://dataversity.org.nz and Chief Wrangler OnlineGroups.Net +64-3-377-5377 +64-27-431-4928 409 Kenton Chmbrs, 190 Hereford St, Christchurch PO Box 739, Christchurch, 8140 Aotearoa (New Zealand) http://onlinegroups.net http://groupserver.org http://twitter.com/danrandow Skype: vonrandow
At ARC, monitoring and research use a suite of technologies to get environmental data from the environs to the public domain. Here's a brain dump: We use Motorola MC75 PDAs... running 'dotNET' fields sheets for our WQ and Ecology data capture. The MC75s include GPS, so we grab coordinates on the fly. These puppies are really highly spec'd, to allow live data updates while in the field, rather than have to visit the office and dock the unit to update your data capture software. They are a phone, browser, with wireless comms, IP 54, yadda, yadda... ARC decided to standardise PDAs, se we can choose from MC75 or MC45s. This makes it easy for our IT guys, who otherwise have to work on a huge variety of PDAs, each with different software / builds / operating systems. The units were sourced through Mobico, who have some rather sizeable clients. They have a comprehensive array of service and support packages to keep clients happily up and running. Mobico keep an image or profile of our units, so if one falls over we just give them a call and they despatch a unit, already imaged, ready for use. For backup, we also run some HP iPAQs (in Otter cases, to keep the water out). Since these are just back-up technology, we often make up our own Excel sheets for data capture. Then, we run "PTab" on the iPAQs, to facilitate drop-down menus (Pocket Excel won’t do data validation, therefore no drop-downs). We have had some PERL scripts written that takes our PDA and multi-parameter meter data (now talking WQ), that - grabs the files from 'watched' folders - splices the PDA and Meter files together - audits them to ensure sites lists, date, time are all ok, - checks that the results are within preset boundaries (based on site, month, parameter)... - before firing the data into our database and - sending an email report of the news... was is a successful import... or are there issues that need attention? Conversely, all our hydro (and some WQ) info is catapulted into our databases via telemetry. Mobiles and simplex are used to get the data out of field stations, from the valleys to the hilltops, and then back to base. We can then relax in the office and process the data at our leisure. Similarly, we can dial some of the samplers from the office and take stream or stormwater sediment samples. Just some examples anyway... Thx,
mike -----Original Message----- From: <email obscured> <email obscured>] On Behalf Of Dan Randow Sent: Friday, 5 March 2010 2:21 p.m. To: <email obscured> Subject: [dataversity public discussion] Field Data Capture At the 2009 Dataversity National Workshop, some interest was expressed in conversations about field data capture: PDAs, data loggers and the like. We have a (newborn) system guide page for practices for field data capture. http://dataversity.org.nz/guide/practices/field_data_capture/ I've scheduled a session on this at the 2010 workshop. Let's warm up to that in advance. If you are using electronic field devices, please share a brief story about these. What devices do you use? What are the successes and issues you have had with them? What practices are effective in the use of field data capture devices? How many of them are sitting at the bottom of streams? What is your best story about losing or nearly losing one? What groups or networks already exist where the use of field data capture gadgets is discussed? Dan -- Dan Randow Dataversity Facilitator http://dataversity.org.nz and Chief Wrangler OnlineGroups.Net +64-3-377-5377 +64-27-431-4928 409 Kenton Chmbrs, 190 Hereford St, Christchurch PO Box 739, Christchurch, 8140 Aotearoa (New Zealand) http://onlinegroups.net http://groupserver.org http://twitter.com/danrandow Skype: vonrandow ----------------------------------------- Full text of this topic in Dataversity Public Discussion: http://dataversity.org.nz/r/topic/2ImLnyyKgwuN1wp521g0l2 To leave Dataversity Public Discussion, email <email obscured>?Subject=unsubscribe Start your own free groups and site with OnlineGroups.Net http://onlinegroups.net Host your own online groups site with GroupServer http://groupserver.org NOTICE: This email and any attachments are confidential and may be legally privileged. If it is not intended for you, do not read, distribute or copy it or any attachments. Please notify the sender by return email and delete the original message and attachments.
Thanks to Pedro, we have a first cut at maturity levels and checklists for Field Data Capture <http://dataversity.org.nz/guide/practices/field_data_capture>. Clearly field data capture has significant implications for data quality management <http://dataversity.org.nz/guide/practices/dataquality>. We have tried to restrict the references to quality management to those that affect what is done in the field. Comments, suggested edits and links to further references are requested.
Dan -- @danrandow +64-27-431-4928 +64-3-377-5377 Chief Wrangler http://onlinegroups.net
Thanks Pedro for a good starting point and opening the disscusion. I only have one gripe and that is that is that the exercise has become based on the erronious idea that electronic capture will be the only way scientific field data capture will reach the highest standard. It may be that some data will never be able to be collected by a person electronically. This risks dataversity becoming narrow in its focus, and the data it captures as high quality data that is complex in nature with rigorous checks, rated as basic and inaccurate. The rankings need to be more inclusive and reflect the high quality data that is being put into data bases now if the site is not to become just a citizen science site. Personally i would like to see the following: Level Two: Validated Paper field sheets / Generic application on hand-held device. Data captured using application such as a spreadsheet, that has not been specifically designed for biodata capture. Data validated on entry or automatically prior to transfer into main system. Level Three: Double validation of Paper field sheets / Basic automated field validation. Paper data validated at the time of capture and on entry to Database Data entry tool sets some limits, and ensures that some required fields are completed. GPS coordinates captured with external GPS unit. Data synced back at the office. Level Four: Triple validation of Paper field sheets / Comprehensive automated field validation. Paper data validated at the time of capture, on entry and by Database Authoritative organism names used. Data checked against upper and lower limits. Complete information about data capture conditions recorded. GPS coordinates from any device accurate to within 2m. Basic data captured in the field synced live to primary data-system. Level Five: Data captured in the field synced live to primary data-system of complex multivariate data. These changes will allow dataversity to recognise quality data whatever its source. In time it may be that most data may be captured electronically, but for the transition to be smooth there must be recognition of current systems or dataversity will fail in its objectives. Glad to hear your thoughts. Thanks Owen.
I quite agree with your sentiment Owen. Well supported paper capture should be able to be represented high up in the chain of best practice. The tricky part is if level 5 involves syncing, then paper capture can only go so far as level 4, as you have presented very concisely. James Horizons Regional Council | 24 hr freephone 0508 800 800 | www.horizons.govt.nz This email is covered by the disclaimers which can be found here: http://www.horizons.govt.nz/exclusion-of-liability
Good morning, Electronic Field Data Capture is the way forward. We use Cybertracker installed on a pc and uploaded on a gps and camera enabled Windows mobile device. You can configure the software according to your own data capture process/ specifications. Its freely available at http://cybertracker.org/software/introduction. You'll see the download link on the left. Kind regards,
Jerome -----Original Message----- From: <email obscured> <email obscured>] On Behalf Of James Lambie Sent: 19 July 2011 02:23 To: <email obscured>' Subject: Re: [Dataversity] Field Data Capture I quite agree with your sentiment Owen. Well supported paper capture should be able to be represented high up in the chain of best practice. The tricky part is if level 5 involves syncing, then paper capture can only go so far as level 4, as you have presented very concisely. James Horizons Regional Council | 24 hr freephone 0508 800 800 | www.horizons.govt.nz This email is covered by the disclaimers which can be found here: http://www.horizons.govt.nz/exclusion-of-liability ----------------------------------------- Full text of this topic in Dataversity Public Discussion: http://dataversity.org.nz/r/topic/2QeoDVjmLOJjJIdRjeNins To leave Dataversity Public Discussion, email <email obscured>?Subject=unsubscribe Start your own free groups and site with OnlineGroups.Net http://onlinegroups.net Host your own online groups site with GroupServer http://groupserver.org VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE ----BIODIVERSITY ADVISOR---- ON HTTP://BIODIVERSITYADVISOR.SANBI.ORG/ Think before you print. Please consider the environment before printing this email. NOTE: This e-mail message and any attachments are intended for the addressee only, and contain confidential information that may be legally privileged and/or the subject of copyright that is protected by law. Any unauthorised usage, disclosure, alteration or dissemination is prohibited. SANBI accepts no responsibility for loss, data corruption or mail that fails to reach its intended destination. Furthermore, SANBI cannot assure the integrity of this communication nor guarantee that it is free of errors, viruses, interception or interference. No liability, whether direct or indirect, is accepted by SANBI or the sender. Any view or opinion expressed in this message may not necessarily be that of SANBI or SANBI Management. SANBI reserves the right to monitor all e-mail communication. The disclaimer is located at http://www.sanbi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=916:-sanbi-email-disclaimer&catid=1:about-sanb
hi folk So good to see so much work in the electrinic field data capture area.. I think this discussion should link up with New Zealands "last mile" problem - re: broadband coverage - particularly, in remote places. Even though a lot of the locations we are talking about is really, really remote ~ by expanding our coverage of broadband as far as practical will make a difference. - here's a map DOC has produced http://twitpic.com/5hym6h http://twitpic.com/5hybt4 ..maps out broadband across it NZ points of presence.. and schools. It would be great to team-up with all interested parties and find ways to collaborate around broadband, make the most of the RBI opportunities etc.
darn! there were a lot of typos in my post earlier. Sorry about that, people. Would be nice to be able to edit 'em after. :)
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