AI DinoTracker App Identifies Dinosaurs from Ancient Footprints

Scientists launched an AI app that identifies dinosaurs from fossil footprints with about 90% agreement with human experts.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh helped develop the system.
The team trained the AI using 2,000 unlabelled footprint silhouettes.
The system compared prints using eight shape features, including toe spread and heel position.
Professor Steve Brusatte said footprint shapes depend on movement and ground conditions.
Lead author Gregor Hartmann warned many past footprint labels may be incorrect.
The free DinoTracker app lets users upload prints and compare similar examples.
Results support earlier claims that some ancient tracks look birdlike.
Brusatte said the tracks likely came from birdlike meat-eating dinosaurs, not true birds.
Jens Lallensack said soft ground could explain the birdlike shapes.