ABSTRACT

A new robot for automated microfossil orientation and digital imaging called AMOR is presented. AMOR (from Automated Measurement system for shell mORphology) was built in collaboration between the Natural History Museum in Basel (NMB), the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), and the Geological-Paleontological Institute (GPI) of the University of Basel. AMOR is capable of automatically positioning, orienting, focussing, zooming, and imaging isolated microfossils that are mounted in standard multicellular micropaleontological slides. This device is useful for the efficient collection of morphometric data for evolutionary studies from digital microfossil images. It is superior to manual data collection because of higher speed and improved level of precision and reproducibility.

Michael W. Knappertsbusch. Natural History Museum Basel, Geology Department, Augustinergasse 2, 4001-Basel, Switzerland
Daniel Binggeli. University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), School of engineering, Institute for Automation, Steinackerstrasse 5, 5210-Windisch, Switzerland
Andreas Herzig. Swisslog AG, 5033 Buchs, Switzerland
Lukas Schmutz. Siemens Schweiz AG, Global Services Industries, GSI CIS1, Freilagerstrasse 40
8047-Zürich, Switzerland
Sebastian Stapfer. University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), School of Engineering, Mecatronics trinational, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132-Muttenz, Switzerland
Claude Schneider. Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Department of Geosciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 32, 4056-Basel, Switzerland
Jean Eisenecker. University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), School of Engineering, Institute for Automation, Steinackerstrasse 5, 5210-Windisch, Switzerland
Lukas Widmer. Rossbergstrasse 10, 5222 Umiken, Switzerland

KEY WORDS: orientation control, morphometrics, automation, digital imaging, planktonic foraminifera, morphological evolution

PE Article Number: 12.2.2T
Copyright: Paleontological Society August 2009
Submission: 15 July 2008. Acceptance: 14 February 2009