Camera-phone tests boost hunt for signs of life on Mars

An imaging algorithm designed to automatically pinpoint areas of geological interest on future crewed or robotic missions to Mars is being tested at the Mars Society's Desert Research Station near Hankville UT. The areas might include unusual rock formations or signs of organic matter that could indicate life. The algorithm should give astronauts the eyes of a trained human geologist--though, for now, it is fed its pictures via a regular Nokia camera-phone. The software picks out unfamiliar areas in the photo by classifying the image according to its hue, intensity and brightness. It needs about five images for the system to "learn" the basic life of the land and its normal colors--and after that it only highlights new, unexpected colors as interesting.