User Guide

Four Phases of Import 

LAMU photo import process is split into four phases: File Import, Metadata Extraction, Thumbnail Generation, and Face Recognition.

Phase 1. File Import

During this phase, media files are copied from source media into LAMU drive. Basic file information such as creation date and size are retrieved during this phase.

When importing from removable media or phones and tablets, the device being imported only need to be connected to the computer during Phase 1. Once Phase 1 completes, as indicated by the change of process box to dark green, you can detach the device if needed.

Phase 2. Metadata Extraction

You photo file contain a variety of metadata created by your camera when you take the photos. Some of these metadata, e.g., GPS coordinates, can be very useful for organization.

Phase 3. Thumbnail Generation

LAMU provides 6 different thumbnail sizes when browse photos. These thumbnails are generated during this phase. In addition to generating thumbnails, LAMU also computes mathematical descriptors for each photo to help identify similar photos.

Phase 4. Face Detection/Recognition

This is typically the most time consuming part of the import process. Each photo will be screened carefully to identify faces. LAMU uses modern Deep Neural Network algorithm to identify faces.

This process is computationally intensive. You may notice your computer start to heat up during this phase as LAMU utilizes a high percentage of your computer's CPU power.