New Version release! SPOTTERON 2.5 brings Offline Maps and Badges for all Citizen Science apps

Tuesday, 06 November 2018 22:13

With the new SPOTTERON platform version 2.5 we bring two more highlights to all apps on the Citizen Science platform: First of all, the Offline Maps & Spots feature allows users to download map areas and spots on their phone for having them present, even when there is no internet connection available. This feature is a big improvement, specially for Citizen Science Apps, in which the main activity takes place often outdoors in the field where web connectivitiy is not always a given thing.

OFFLINE MAPS & SPOTS:

In a fresh panel, accessable by the app's main menue, all users can find the necessary tools for

  • naming, defining and downloading map areas to their devices
  • deleting downloaded maps on their devices
  • refresh map areas on their devices

All offline maps are displayed as a list and can be named individually by the user.

  • list and review spots
  • delete downloaded copies of spots
  • refresh single spots or refresh all spots

In the main view of the app, users can additionally download single spots manually to their devices by simply using the spot-detail menue when viewing a particular spot.

As a second highlight, the new badges will bring more fun to the apps. Badges are achievements which users can collect by being active in the app and curious about their environment.

SPOTTERON OfflineMode Main File

BADGES:

  • badges are visible on a new panel in the user's profile. All badges achieved are listed there.
  • each new badge is introduced by its own dialog in the app
  • each new badge is visible to all people who follow a user in the newsfeed wall
  • while getting first badges is an easy task, the difficulty of advanced badges does increase

If you have already been active in the Citizen Science app and submitted spots and observations, you will receive all your so far obtained badges after the app update.
Please note: Since this update is relying on a server update, it can happen that you see some empty notifications on your newsfeed wall until the update is ready on your phone.

 

badges preview CW blogversion

 

Both extensions have been made possible by the project "Crowdwater" of the university of Zurich, Switzerland and are available to use by all projects on the SPOTTERON platform.
For projects, we can also design custom badges (look out for custom badges in the Crowdwater Citizen Science app @ www.crowdwater.ch) and implement them.

With the new features, the scope of extensions, which are available for every new app joining on the SPOTTERON platform, did grow further. Both Offline Maps and Badges are great extensions for all future Citizen Science apps and projects.

Example Horizon Europe / Horizon 2020 Collaborations

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Horizon 2020 Invasive Species Monitoring App

The IPM-Popillia Horizon 2020 project aims to address the challenge of a new risk to plant health in Europe's agriculture and food safety: the invasion of the Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica. This invasive species was introduced accidentally to mainland Europe in 2014 and can quickly spread by transportation and trade. As a species with a wide range of feeding plants, P. japonica threatens the entire agricultural sector, urban landscapes, and biodiversity in invaded areas.

Learn more about
IPM Popillia | Integrated Pest Management of the Japanese Beetle
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Horizon Europe Citizen Science App

EFFECTIVE, a Horizon Europe initiative, targets the emerging threat to the EU's Mediterranean Blue Natural Capital. By leveraging advanced science, technological nature-based solutions, digitalization, and social implication, the project aims to develop a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance for the application of Ecosystem-Based Management to promote large-scale marine protected areas establishment in the European seas.

Learn more about
EFFECTIVE | Protection and Restoration Management of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas
App Icon
Horizon Europe Citizen Science App

TRANSEATION, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to validate a new level of ecosystem-based management by integrating social implication digitalization and nature-based solutions to safeguard and restore marine ecosystem health and services. The project focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of marine and coastal hybrid blue-grey infrastructures and developing digital tools for monitoring, analysis, and social involvement, addressing societal challenges and promoting sustainable management practices.

Learn more about
TRANSEATION | Advancements through Hybrid Blue-Grey Infrastructures in Marine and Coastal Areas
App Icon
Horizon 2020 Citizen Social Science App

In Europe and globally, substantial numbers of young people are at risk of social exclusion. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop more knowledge and innovation to create inclusive and youth-friendly societies. The Horizon 2020 R&I Project YouCount contributes to these needs by developing 'actionable' knowledge for social inclusion of disadvantaged youths in the European Union and creating better means for social inclusion through citizen social science.

Learn more about
YouCount | Youth Citizen Science
App Icon
Horizon 2020 Citizen Science App

The impact of plastic pollution on soil health is largely unknown. However, the amounts of plastic entering soils are equal to or possibly even more significant than those entering our rivers, seas, and oceans. MINAGRIS, an EU Horizon 2020 funded project, will investigate how plastic affects soil biodiversity, soil functions, associated ecosystem services, and agricultural productivity.
Learn more about
MINAGRIS | Micro and Nanoplastics in Agricultural Soils
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Health Citizen Science App
University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology

StreetMind contributes to a better understanding how environmental factors like urbanicity or climate change influence how individuals across Europe and the world feel, act, and behave. Participants make up their minds with fellow citizens and scientists and share their daily experiences of their surroundings and the environment where they live, work, and interact.

Learn more about
StreetMind

Short News

  • New study from BiciZen project: "BiciZen: Lessons in the Development of a Crowdsourcing Mobile App to Make Cities More Bikeable" published in Journal of Participatory Research Methods. More studies available under the publication page here.

    in Shortnews
  • Roadkill project has made wonderful short videos for the citizen scientists! The videos include the Roadkill App functions regarding how to confirm & comment on the spots and how to best take the photos for the project. The videos (in German) are available in the "Österreich forscht" blog here. 

    in Shortnews

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