Michael J. Grodowitz US Army Engineer Research and Development Center Vicksburg, MS

Programming/design Programming/design – Sherry Whitaker – Jeffery Stokes Graphics Graphics – Lavon Jeffers Funding Funding – ERDC APCRP Linda Nelson Linda Nelson Bob Gunkel Bob Gunkel Al Cofrancesco Al Cofrancesco – DOD Legacy – Others Programming/design Programming/design – Sherry Whitaker – Jeffery Stokes Graphics Graphics – Lavon Jeffers Funding Funding – ERDC APCRP Linda Nelson Linda Nelson Bob Gunkel Bob Gunkel Al Cofrancesco Al Cofrancesco – DOD Legacy – Others

Biology Biology Ecology Ecology Distribution Distribution Problems Problems Laws and regulations Laws and regulations Management options Management options – Biological – Chemical – Mechanical Sampling methodologies Sampling methodologies And on, and on and on……………….. And on, and on and on……………….. Biology Biology Ecology Ecology Distribution Distribution Problems Problems Laws and regulations Laws and regulations Management options Management options – Biological – Chemical – Mechanical Sampling methodologies Sampling methodologies And on, and on and on……………….. And on, and on and on………………..

Technical publications Technical publications Journal articles Journal articles Reports Reports Orally Orally – Meetings – Personal communications Posters Posters Books Books Internet Internet And on, and on, and on………………. And on, and on, and on………………. Technical publications Technical publications Journal articles Journal articles Reports Reports Orally Orally – Meetings – Personal communications Posters Posters Books Books Internet Internet And on, and on, and on………………. And on, and on, and on……………….

PC/Web-based PC/Web-based CD version operates under Windows ® CD version operates under Windows ® Allows for efficient and rapid access Allows for efficient and rapid access Highly interactive Highly interactive Use a variety of different formats Use a variety of different formats – Text – Photo’s – Hyper-linked text – Identification programming – Video All in one location… All in one location… PC/Web-based PC/Web-based CD version operates under Windows ® CD version operates under Windows ® Allows for efficient and rapid access Allows for efficient and rapid access Highly interactive Highly interactive Use a variety of different formats Use a variety of different formats – Text – Photo’s – Hyper-linked text – Identification programming – Video All in one location… All in one location…

Where we’ve been? Where we’re at? Where we’re going?

Early 1990’s Early 1990’s Recognized need for better access Recognized need for better access DOS-based DOS-based Distributed on floppy disks Distributed on floppy disks Huge technical difficulties Huge technical difficulties – Displaying 256 colors – Photographs limited – Mainly line drawings – Limited interactivity Early 1990’s Early 1990’s Recognized need for better access Recognized need for better access DOS-based DOS-based Distributed on floppy disks Distributed on floppy disks Huge technical difficulties Huge technical difficulties – Displaying 256 colors – Photographs limited – Mainly line drawings – Limited interactivity

Advances in computer capabilities Advances in computer capabilities – Graphics – Power – Speed – Increased memory/storage – Programming languages Windows ® Windows ® Visual basic Visual basic Allowed for: Allowed for: – Full color images – More standardization across computer hardware – Identification algorithms – More efficient access – More interactive GUI – Increased information content Advances in computer capabilities Advances in computer capabilities – Graphics – Power – Speed – Increased memory/storage – Programming languages Windows ® Windows ® Visual basic Visual basic Allowed for: Allowed for: – Full color images – More standardization across computer hardware – Identification algorithms – More efficient access – More interactive GUI – Increased information content

APIS™ APIS™ – Version 3.2 – CD/Web ( – Windows Vista – Hand-held version – Microsoft-based PDA’s PMIS ™ PMIS ™ – Version 6.0 – CD/Web ( – Windows XP Plant Dispersal Information System Plant Dispersal Information System – Version 1.0 – CD only – Windows XP – Incorporation into PMIS APIS™ APIS™ – Version 3.2 – CD/Web ( – Windows Vista – Hand-held version – Microsoft-based PDA’s PMIS ™ PMIS ™ – Version 6.0 – CD/Web ( – Windows XP Plant Dispersal Information System Plant Dispersal Information System – Version 1.0 – CD only – Windows XP – Incorporation into PMIS

Mainly increased content Mainly increased content – Added more plant species – Updated mainly chemical info – General revisions Technological/programming updates Technological/programming updates – Revised with new operating systems – Hand-held application Favored information over technology Favored information over technology Mainly increased content Mainly increased content – Added more plant species – Updated mainly chemical info – General revisions Technological/programming updates Technological/programming updates – Revised with new operating systems – Hand-held application Favored information over technology Favored information over technology

APIS™ APIS™ – Started with nine species – Today > 70 species – Added computer models Amur Stocking rate Amur Stocking rate Harvesting Harvesting PMIS ™ PMIS ™ – Started with 20 species – Today >150 species – Added registration regs and laws APIS™ APIS™ – Started with nine species – Today > 70 species – Added computer models Amur Stocking rate Amur Stocking rate Harvesting Harvesting PMIS ™ PMIS ™ – Started with 20 species – Today >150 species – Added registration regs and laws

But we felt it was time for a change But we felt it was time for a change Information was increasing Information was increasing Harder to keep up Harder to keep up Organization a problem Organization a problem Difficult, at best, to effectively update systems Difficult, at best, to effectively update systems More flexibility in accessing information More flexibility in accessing information But we felt it was time for a change But we felt it was time for a change Information was increasing Information was increasing Harder to keep up Harder to keep up Organization a problem Organization a problem Difficult, at best, to effectively update systems Difficult, at best, to effectively update systems More flexibility in accessing information More flexibility in accessing information

Change core technology Change core technology Programming Programming Relational database Relational database – Sales records – Bank transactions – Addresses/names/telephone numbers Use pieces of information as the data Use pieces of information as the data But… But… Change core technology Change core technology Programming Programming Relational database Relational database – Sales records – Bank transactions – Addresses/names/telephone numbers Use pieces of information as the data Use pieces of information as the data But… But…

What is a relational database? What is a relational database? Simply put: Simply put: – Set of highly organized data – Related by common information Contains series of tables Contains series of tables – Contain records – Basically descriptions of types of data – Actual information content By using a common identifier between tables By using a common identifier between tables – “Relate" one table to another What is a relational database? What is a relational database? Simply put: Simply put: – Set of highly organized data – Related by common information Contains series of tables Contains series of tables – Contain records – Basically descriptions of types of data – Actual information content By using a common identifier between tables By using a common identifier between tables – “Relate" one table to another

A simple example… A simple example… Species profiles Species profiles – Common/scientific name – Synonyms – Home range/introduction – Distribution – Description – Problems These are the records! These are the records! A simple example… A simple example… Species profiles Species profiles – Common/scientific name – Synonyms – Home range/introduction – Distribution – Description – Problems These are the records! These are the records!

Species information Distribution Descriptions Problems Images Identification Descriptions Characteristics Images Control options Chemical Biological Mechanical

So with a relational database structure… So with a relational database structure… Better organization of information Better organization of information – Know where every information piece is located – It’s relationship to other pieces Limited use of static web pages Limited use of static web pages Add new specific info Add new specific info – Modify a single table – Instead of the whole static page Easier, faster, and more economical to update Easier, faster, and more economical to update Overall more flexibility in displaying info Overall more flexibility in displaying info So with a relational database structure… So with a relational database structure… Better organization of information Better organization of information – Know where every information piece is located – It’s relationship to other pieces Limited use of static web pages Limited use of static web pages Add new specific info Add new specific info – Modify a single table – Instead of the whole static page Easier, faster, and more economical to update Easier, faster, and more economical to update Overall more flexibility in displaying info Overall more flexibility in displaying info

More importantly… More importantly… Allows web-based identification programming Allows web-based identification programming – Classical form – New free access More importantly… More importantly… Allows web-based identification programming Allows web-based identification programming – Classical form – New free access

Fruits of our labors: Fruits of our labors: – Fruits of our labors: Fruits of our labors: –

Developing CD version using database structure Developing CD version using database structure – Allow more interaction – Between web and CD versions – Using the same database Allow easier updating Allow easier updating – Change the database – Distribute database – Across web and CD versions Dynamic queries? Dynamic queries? Developing CD version using database structure Developing CD version using database structure – Allow more interaction – Between web and CD versions – Using the same database Allow easier updating Allow easier updating – Change the database – Distribute database – Across web and CD versions Dynamic queries? Dynamic queries?

Currently information display static Currently information display static – Based on programming But with dynamic queries... But with dynamic queries... User can specify User can specify – Type of information – Format of information Management plan Management plan – Species name – Description Only those with yellow flowers Only those with yellow flowers Currently information display static Currently information display static – Based on programming But with dynamic queries... But with dynamic queries... User can specify User can specify – Type of information – Format of information Management plan Management plan – Species name – Description Only those with yellow flowers Only those with yellow flowers – Distribution Only in southeast Only in southeast – Chemicals Only contact Only contact – Biologicals Only operational Only operational Only weevils Only weevils – Mechanicals Only harvesters Only harvesters Customized Customized Filtered information Filtered information – Distribution Only in southeast Only in southeast – Chemicals Only contact Only contact – Biologicals Only operational Only operational Only weevils Only weevils – Mechanicals Only harvesters Only harvesters Customized Customized Filtered information Filtered information

More mobile versions More mobile versions PDA version PDA version – APIS ™ – Microsoft Mobile-based PDA’s Limited use Limited use Variety of different operating systems Variety of different operating systems – Blackberry – I-Phone – Others ‘Mobile internet version’ ‘Mobile internet version’ More mobile versions More mobile versions PDA version PDA version – APIS ™ – Microsoft Mobile-based PDA’s Limited use Limited use Variety of different operating systems Variety of different operating systems – Blackberry – I-Phone – Others ‘Mobile internet version’ ‘Mobile internet version’

Change in core technology Change in core technology Costly to implement Costly to implement Well worth the effort Well worth the effort More interactivity More interactivity User defined information content User defined information content More economical to update More economical to update Can be applied to other areas Can be applied to other areas – Arthropod diseases – Mosquito ID/control Change in core technology Change in core technology Costly to implement Costly to implement Well worth the effort Well worth the effort More interactivity More interactivity User defined information content User defined information content More economical to update More economical to update Can be applied to other areas Can be applied to other areas – Arthropod diseases – Mosquito ID/control