Increasing the impact of vertebrate scientific collections through 3D imaging: The openVertebrate (oVert) Thematic Collections Network.
David C BlackburnDoug M BoyerJaimi A GrayJulie WinchesterJohn M BatesStephanie L BaumgartEmily BrakerDaryl ColdrenKevin W ConwayAlison Davis RaboskyNoé de la SanchaCasey B DillmanJonathan L DunnumCatherine M EarlyBenjamin W FrableMatt W GageJames HankenJessica A MaisanoBen D MarksKatherine P MaslenikovJohn E McCormackRamon S NagesanGregory G PandelisHeather L PrestridgeDaniel L RaboskyZachary S RandallMark B RobbinsLauren A ScheinbergCarol L SpencerAdam P SummersLeif TapanilaCody W ThompsonLuke TornabeneGreg J Watkins-ColwellLuke J Weltonnull nullEdward L StanleyPublished in: Bioscience (2024)
The impact of preserved museum specimens is transforming and increasing by three-dimensional (3D) imaging that creates high-fidelity online digital specimens. Through examples from the openVertebrate (oVert) Thematic Collections Network, we describe how we created a digitization community dedicated to the shared vision of making 3D data of specimens available and the impact of these data on a broad audience of scientists, students, teachers, artists, and more. High-fidelity digital 3D models allow people from multiple communities to simultaneously access and use scientific specimens. Based on our multiyear, multi-institution project, we identify significant technological and social hurdles that remain for fully realizing the potential impact of digital 3D specimens.