Pilot study into optimal digitisation technologies and equipment

In collaboration with the JRA, a pilot project will review operational aspects of access to new forms of digitised images. The study will seek to identify which digitisation techniques and equipment provide virtual collections that are most suitable to permit research on particular specimens. The pilot will involve gathering data from Participants on their current digitisation facilities and needs, plus a literature review and questionnaire on how their equipment has been used and their successes and challenges. The JRA will undertake further research on the use potential of key digitisation equipment with Participants that currently lack optimal facilities. Results will be fed back to manufacturers where appropriate to be used in their future R&D to develop new tools fit for market.
An output of the pilot study will be a digitisation work flow that can support Users/collection managers when requesting/accessing surrogate collections for their research needs. Institutions can also benefit from the results when considering which new equipment to purchase for their infrastructure.