Competition for financial support for projects of junior basic researchers and postdocs – 2020

Technical Sciences

Assist. Prof. Nicole Vesselinova Christoff, Ph. D

The aim of the project is to develop and test an approach for segmentation of characteristic features, such as vessels, etc., as well as effective methods and algorithms for capturing microscopic images containing typical for Bulgaria tree species such as maple, Fraxinus (ash), etc.

The main tasks are related to the construction of new theoretical foundations, scientific models, abstractions, as well as rethinking or updating methods and algorithms in order to find geometric characteristics and classification of tree species in Bulgaria. The focus will be on:

• Development of a methodology for taking microscopic images from longitudinal / cross sections of wood samples, based on optical information;

• Creating a theoretical model describing the anatomical features common and inherent for the tree species;

• Development of advanced algorithms for geometric modeling of anatomical characteristics, taking into account the changes of individual tree species and habitats;

• Development of effective approaches and methods for detecting anatomical features in order to identify and predict the type of wood.

The outcome of this project is expected to have important impact in the field of environmental protection of the Republic of Bulgaria, including habitats included in NATURA 2000. In addition, the results of the research will contribute to several other areas of research, including computer vision, machine learning and wood science.