GLOBE Program - Image processing
Description
Processing photo images submitted to the GLOBE Program through the GLOBE Observer app. These photos relate to submissions of Clouds, Mosquito Habitat Mapper, Trees, and Land Cover observations. GLOBE data is processed through Amazon Rekognition SAAS (software as a service) tool to automate the image approval process (Amazon 2024).
Detailed example
Object detection information, image approval/rejection decisions, automated blurring of detected faces and text for privacy protection, and flagging of images requiring human review.
AI / analytics pattern
Computer Vision: AI that processes and interprets visual data (e.g., images and videos).
Automation level / stage
c) Deployed – The use case is being actively authorized or utilized to support the functions or mission of an agency.
Expected benefit
The AI photo review system has dramatically reduced staff time needed to screen photos and therefore enabled NASA to process these crowdsourced data at a much faster speed. This leads to significantly more surface-based Earth system observations to enable science and societally relevant applications that would not be possible otherwise.
Controls / human review
ATO: Yes; PIA: Not published
Data needed
Mostly uses pre-trained Amazon Rekognition models. System processes citizen science photos for validation but does not train custom models. However, a custom process was developed to evaluate the Rekognition results for decision making within the GLOBE context.