Open-Source Platform Entomoscope 2.0 supports Nationwide Citizen Science in Denmark
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Source:
IAI
- Date: 2026-09-14
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More than 30,000 students from 532 schools are participating in Denmark’s Masseeksperiment 2026 – Ukendt insekt (“Unknown Insect”). Organized by Astra, Denmark’s national science education center, the initiative connects school learning with current biodiversity research. It focuses on small, frequently overlooked insects whose diversity and distribution remain relatively poorly understood.
Students collect and document their finds and provide researchers with material for investigation. The research programme includes DNA-based analyses to improve knowledge of Denmark’s insect diversity. Scientific partners include the Natural History Museum of Denmark at the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
As an additional opportunity, school classes can visit participating nature schools, environmental education centers where they can work with Entomoscopes. These affordable, open-source photomicroscopes enable students to examine fine insect details and capture high-quality images. They support both specimen documentation and biodiversity education.
Nick Böse and Hossein Shirali, both members of Prof. Christian Pylatiuk’s group Biomedical Engineering & Robotics (BER) at KIT’s Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics (IAI), supported the deployment in Denmark. Nick Böse helped the team at the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen assemble 20 Entomoscopes. Hossein Shirali supported software installation and adaptations for their use.
As of 10 September 2026, 17 nature schools across Denmark had been equipped with Entomoscopes and trained in their operation. The centers use the instruments for photographic documentation and as educational and communication tools when hosting school classes.
The platform Entomoscope was developed at IAI in collaboration with Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN). Its further development, Entomoscope 2.0, combines the imaging hardware with ENIMAS 2.0, open-source software supporting insect digitisation and computer-assisted analysis.
The underlying research received support from the EU project FORSAID – Forest surveillance with artificial intelligence and digital technologies. FORSAID develops technologies for the early detection and monitoring of forest pests. The use of Entomoscopes in the Danish educational initiative illustrates how openly available research technology can find applications beyond its original research setting.
The collaboration with Mike Lorenzen, Frida Løkkegaard Pust, and the Copenhagen team brings together technical development, practical support, and science education. It makes small insects visible and gives students direct experience with methods used in biodiversity research.
Further information
Astra: background and scale of Masseeksperiment 2026 (Danish)
Masseeksperiment: nature-school activities with Entomoscope (Danish)
University of Copenhagen: Entomoscope in educational activities (Danish)