<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.5pt">The 1st Edition of the ImageCLEF Coral Annotation Challenge 2019</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Website:<span class="gmail-apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.imageclef.org/2019/coral" style="color:rgb(149,79,114)">https://www.imageclef.org/2019/coral</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:14.5pt">Motivation</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;opacity:1;float:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:inherit">The increasing use of structure-from-motion photogrammetry for modelling large-scale environments from action cameras attached to drones has driven the next-generation of visualisation techniques that can be used in augmented and virtual reality headsets. It has also created a need to have such models labelled, with objects such as people, buildings, vehicles, terrain, etc. all essential for machine learning techniques to automati<span style="background-color:rgb(255,238,148);margin:0px;padding:0px;opacity:1;float:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:inherit">call</span>y identify as areas of interest and to label them appropriately. However, the complexity of the images makes impossible for human annotators to assess the contents of images on a large scale.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;opacity:1;float:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:inherit">Advances in automati<span style="background-color:rgb(255,238,148);margin:0px;padding:0px;opacity:1;float:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:inherit">call</span>y annotating images for complexity and benthic composition have been promising, and we are interested in automati<span style="background-color:rgb(255,238,148);margin:0px;padding:0px;opacity:1;float:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;line-height:inherit">call</span>y identify areas of interest and to label them appropriately for monitoring coral reefs. Coral reefs are in danger of being lost within the next 30 years, and with them the ecosystems they support. This catastrophe will not only see the extinction of many marine species, but also create a humanitarian crisis on a global scale for the billions of humans who rely on reef services. By monitoring the changes and composition of coral reefs we can help prioritise conservation efforts.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Data</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">The data for this task originates from a growing, large-scale collection of images taken from coral reefs around the world as part of a coral reef monitoring project with the Marine Technology Research Unit at the University of Essex (currently containing over 2TB of image data of benthic reef structure).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt"> </span><br><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt"> Challenge description</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Participants will be require to annotate and localise coral reef images by labelling the images with types of benthic substrate together. Each image is provided with possible class types.<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Preliminary Schedule</span></b></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0cm;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">19.11.2018</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Registration opens for all ImageCLEF tasks (until <strong>26.04.2019</strong>)</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">15.01.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: training release starts</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">18.03.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Test data release starts</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">01.05.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Deadline for submitting the participants runs</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">13.05.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Release of the processed results by the task organizers</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">24.05.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Deadline for submission of working notes papers by the participants</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">07.06.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Notification of acceptance of the working notes papers</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">28.06.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: Camera-ready working notes papers</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">09-12.09.2019</span></strong><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">: <a href="http://clef2019.clef-initiative.eu/" style="color:rgb(149,79,114)">CLEF 2019</a>, Lugano, Switzerland</span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Participant Registration</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Please refer to the general <a href="https://www.imageclef.org/2019#registration" style="color:rgb(149,79,114)">ImageCLEF registration instructions</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"><a name="m_4321509504270551620__GoBack"></a><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt">Organizing Committee</span></b></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0cm;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;margin-top:0cm"><li class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">Jon Chamberlain <jchamp(at)<a href="http://essex.ac.uk">essex.ac.uk</a>>,University of Essex, UK</span></li><li class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">Adrian Clark <alien(at)<a href="http://essex.ac.uk">essex.ac.uk</a>>,University of Essex, UK</span></li><li class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:12.65pt"><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard,serif">Alba García Seco de Herrera <alba.garcia(at)<a href="http://essex.ac.uk">essex.ac.uk</a>>,University of Essex, UK</span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 12pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:12.65pt"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;color:black">For more details and updates, please visit the task website at:<span class="gmail-apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.imageclef.org/2019/coral" style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://www.imageclef.org/2019/coral</a>
<span class="gmail-apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="gmail-apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:11.5pt"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 10pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">



</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt">And
join our mailing list: <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/forum/imageclefcoral" style="color:rgb(5,99,193);text-decoration:underline">https://groups.google.com/d/forum/imageclefcoral</a>
</span><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span><span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:rgb(238,52,36)">Dr Alba García Seco de Herrera</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">PhD</span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Lecturer</span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Department of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE)</span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">University of Essex</span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:rgb(238,52,36)">T</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(238,52,36)"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">+44 (0)</span><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">1206 872907</span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:rgb(238,52,36)">E </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><a href="mailto:alba.garcia@essex.ac.uk" style="color:rgb(149,79,114)">alba.garcia@essex.ac.uk</a></span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(238,52,36)">►</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> <u><a href="https://www.essex.ac.uk/people/garci58409/alba-garcia" style="color:rgb(149,79,114)">https://www.essex.ac.uk/</a></u></span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:rgb(238,52,36)">WE ARE ESSEX</span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:rgb(75,48,106)"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;color:rgb(75,48,106)"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </p></div>