Metadata Extraction Tool and Schema Mapper for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images

Standardized metadata and the proper storage of it are critical components of scientific research. However, manually extracting metadata is time-consuming and error-prone. The KIT-developed Mapping Service solves this problem by automating the process of metadata extraction and mapping as per published schema, making it easier for researchers to manage large datasets for improved accessibility and collaboration.
At its core, the Mapping Service is an automated tool for researchers in materials science to easily extract metadata from research images generated by various imaging instruments, namely Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM), and map them according to published metadata schemas. The tool comprises two key components: a reader and a mapper. The reader reads all the metadata embedded within the images, which can contain hundreds of pieces of metadata. The mapper takes the relevant schema and cherry-picks all the key variables that the schema says should be included; it then maps these variables to their appropriate standardized name, resulting in a nicely formatted metadata document in JSON format. The tool also generates a CSV table that summarizes all the extracted information.
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Researchers in materials science who generate research images with metadata requiring efficient and consistent processing can easily adopt the Mapping Service. This tool is a valuable asset for efficient and standardized metadata handling in materials science research, particularly for SEM Focused Ion Beam tomography. With this poster, we succinctly highlight the Mapping Service’s automatic metadata extraction process, and the necessary considerations and prerequisites for its implementation into a research environment.