Abstract: Computer vision has made rapid progress in recent years: computers can now reliably match the same image; find differences in similar images; and classify content within multiple images. Recently (and controversially) computers have also begun to be able to identify subjects, such as people and places. This hands-on session will show how to install and use state-of-the-art open source software from the University of Oxford’s Visual Geometry Group. Attendees will leave the session with the knowledge of how to match, differentiate, classify and annotate content within many kinds of images. The event will also include a short presentation of Dr Guyda Armstrong's Envisioning Dante project, a partnership between the John Rylands Research Institute and the Oxford Seebibyte Research Group which is using these tools to classify and analyse the page design of early printed editions of Dante's Divine Comedy held in the Rylands Special Collections.

Requirements: a laptop or tablet is needed to access online demos. Attendees who would like to try the software on their own laptops will need to install Docker, ideally in advance of the session (see links to the various platforms under Docker Version here. There is no need to install the tools themselves or the training data as this will be supplied on the day).

Workshop facilitator: Dr. Giles Bergel, University of Oxford

In addition, Giles will be available on the following dates and times for short consultations with those wishing to discuss their research cases:

i) University Campus: Tuesday June 5th, Room A1.03, Samuel Alexander Building 2.00-5.00

Signup: https://doodle.com/poll/rft3vb2mk9nh9xt4

ii) The John Rylands Library, Deansgate: Wednesday June 6 in the Atrium (ground floor)

Signup: https://doodle.com/poll/57py5i8w8ehhhnq8

This workshop is offered in association with The John Rylands Research Institute.