title: SensorDB: a virtual laboratory for the integration, visualization and analysis of varied biological sensor data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To our knowledge, there is no software or database solution that supports large volumes of biological time series sensor data efficiently and enables data visualization and analysis in real time. Existing solutions for managing data typically use unstructured file systems or relational databases. These systems are not designed to provide instantaneous response to user queries. Furthermore, they do not support rapid data analysis and visualization to enable interactive experiments. In large scale experiments, this behaviour slows research discovery, discourages the widespread sharing and reuse of data that could otherwise inform critical decisions in a timely manner and encourage effective collaboration between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this paper we present SensorDB, a web based virtual laboratory that can manage large volumes of biological time series sensor data while supporting rapid data queries and real-time user interaction. SensorDB is sensor agnostic and uses web-based, state-of-the-art cloud and storage technologies to efficiently gather, analyse and visualize data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collaboration and data sharing between different agencies and groups is thereby facilitated. SensorDB is available online at http://sensordb.csiro.au.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Data61, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Berni
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Deery
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Data61, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia.
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, 306 Carmody Road, Brisbane, 4067 Australia.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rozas-Larraondo
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, 306 Carmody Road, Brisbane, 4067 Australia.
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Data61, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia ; School of Computer Science and Information Technology, RMIT University, 124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, 3000 Australia.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Georgakopoulos
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, Clunies Ross St, Canberra, 2601 Australia ; Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra, 0200 Australia.
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Furbank
keywords: Big data; High frequency data; NoSQL; Phenomics; Real-time statistics