IBF DiversityMobile and Data Synchronisation
The Diversity Workbench database framework consists of single application components collaborating through agreed software interfaces.
The goal of IBF DiversityMobile and Data Synchronisation is the organisation of the gathering of data in the field by setting up DiversityMobile. This component is developped to enter, modify, or – if necessary – delete ecological and biological monitoring data in the field via a mobile device. The whole process is very complex and modelled by IBF Mobile Process Modeling. In the approach realised within the IBF context the data model of DiversityMobile is held fully compatible with the data model of DiversityCollection. This is the component for the storage of collection and observation data within the Diversity Workbench and fulfill the ABCD standard of TDWG. The field data retrieved via the mobile device using the DiversityMobile client are stored in a database on this device.
The central database DiversityCollection will eventually offer a set of definitions, e.g., lists of taxonomic names and project-specific settings to be uploaded. Moreover, the user might choose to download field data from DiversityCollection, already stored there. Furthermore, it is planned to allow data import directly from web services e.g. for taxonomic or other biological backbone data. As soon as the user starts gathering data in the field, additional data are added to the mobile database. Hence, the upload of field data to the central database and the dataflow to and from DiversityMobile, e.g. to avoid duplicates, needs to be strictly organised by a complex synchronisation process. This also concerns GPS and multimedia data. The user will access a synchronisation component via a special interface which will be installed on his personal computer. This component connects the mobile database with a data repository e.g. via the internet. The synchronization data are stored in a separate database. This database will be linking the data items on the client-side with data items on the server-side using Global Unique Identifiers (GUIDs).
Scientists in this workpackage: Prof. Dr. S. Jablonski, T. Schneider, B. Volz