SPOTTERON
Easter Egg Hunt 2018
Fresh on our blog! We took our easter egg hunt on a microscopic level today and found something quite special - check it out in our Citizen Science Blog!
Citizen Science Easter Egg Hunt 2018
Today we decided to went on a Easter Egg Hunt - and since it is raining heavily today we took this journey to another realm: the microcosm!
Why runtime costs after 2 years?
In an ever-changing online environment, it is essential, especially for smartphone apps, to get updated continuously and adapt to changing standards or technologies. Since online citizen science projects are per definition interactive user-oriented applications, it is essential to provide ongoing maintenance to the software they run on for stability, safety and also compatibility over a more extended period.
Life cycles of online software and especially smartphone apps are very short. To prevent your apps from becoming unusable on new operating system versions, getting clunky, or functionalities simply breaking down after a while, we have chosen to offer SPOTTERON as a Software as Service (SAS) model. That way, we can take care of all projects on the platform during their whole runtime while also being able to keep prices low.
WHY RUNTIME COSTS AFTER 2 YEARS?
We always keep your smartphone apps updated.
Every project on the SPOTTERON platform receives regular updates with improvements, patches and even new advanced features and extensions.
We provide constant stability & safety.
The life cycle of smartphones and their operating systems is very short and changes need to be made to all apps constantly for stability and security reasons.
It ensures low costs by distributing efforts
Being able to provide regular patches because of our subscription model means one app does not have to pay for already existing features on the platform.
We automatically take care of new standards
Technical, design or legal standards can change during the runtime. We automatically take care of those changes without additional fees.
Software as Service (SAS) or subscription-based services is a growing standard since they ensure a hassle-free service for the partner without additional costs coming up during runtime because of necessary adaptations. Also, it enables us to run all your Citizen Science apps and projects without user tracking for ad profile building or third-party ad networks. Read more about SPOTTERON privacy policy here: Privacy & Data Safety
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE OFFICIAL RUNTIME
We have established a routine called the “extended runtime” to be able to keep your project alive even after the official runtime is over. After the subscription period ends, we automatically provide a four weeks free cooldown period in which all four parts of a project - Android app, IOS app, interactive map and administration interface - continue to run normally. During this cool-off period, all project participants can also be informed, use the integrated communication features and download the data via the administration interface.
After the cooldown period, we can keep the interactive map, in which all project users are able to participate and submit data, and your administration interface access online for a small monthly fee of € 90,- (Package L; excl. VAT if appliable) for unlimited data hosting, web-app updates and support. With an additional website, the regular monthly fees for package L are currently € 125,- also including patching, support and maintenance of the project's CMS-based website.
During the extended runtime, we still keep your project ad-free and without user monetizing or third party ad profile tracking.
#InvasivesWeek 2018
#InvasivesWeek 2018: The racoon is on the #invasivespecies list of the EU and can be found across europe - alive or dead. Submit observations and support the #CitSci project on the @SPOTTERON platform via the #CitizenScience app "Roadkill"
App page update
We updated our Citizen Science App section for all projects running on SPOTTERON. There's a short description for every project in both english and german now. If you're curious as to what we're working on, check it out!
GEFABE
The Top Citizen Science project „Gemeinsam fahren wir besser“ (approx: We drive better together) of the Center for Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Salzburg aims to collect data on driver assistance systems in collaboration with Austrian drivers via the Community Science App GeFaBe. The goal is to highlight shortcomings and security holes but also good practice in driver assistance systems.
Fågelbär
With this Citizen Science app, it's possible to contribute to the Community Science project "Fägelbär "(English: Birdberry) by reporting observations of birds eating berries. Researchers from the Department of Ecology, Environmental and Botany at the University of Stockholm collect the data to better understand which birds feed on which berries, how they are involved in spreading plants, and to gain knowledge about landscaping and consequences of a warmer climate.
Forschen im Almtal
"Forschen im Almtal" is the app for a Citizen Science project of the University of Vienna in collaboration with the wildlife park in Grünau in Austria's Almtal. Visitors of the Wildlife park can become Citizen Scientists and observe three bird species (grey goose, raven and northern bald ibis) and help collect data on their behaviour in the Citizen Science App 'Forschen im Almtal'.
Nature's Calendar Lower Austria
Nature seems to be on a rollercoaster ride these days. Sometimes there's spring in the middle of winter, then there are cold spells over and over again when it's almost summer. This is why nature- and climate researchers need more and more information about when plants begin to blossom, have fruits or start throwing off their leaves or when animals are active. Entries in the ‚Nature's Calendar' App support the Austrian ZAMG's data collection.
WaldrApp
WaldrApp is a Citizen Science project from the University of Vienna aiming to collect ecological information on the whereabouts of "Waldrapps" (English: northern bald ibis). Since these birds are an endangered species, the data collected through the app can help gain essential data for future settling projects.
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”Our collaboration with SPOTTERON has been essential for our citizen science project. The ideas of our research have been efficiently implemented into the app in a simple and didactic way, thanks to the good communication and professionalism of the team.Sara Blanco Ramirez, PhD student, Hydrology and Climate
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”Mammals Atlas Kenya (MAKENYA), an operational mobile application to submit mammal sightings by citizens was launched in January 2021. I found the SPOTTERON team very magnanimous, highly professional, meticulous and committed to their work; and definitely I recommend the team to anyone interested in citizen science applications worldwide.Simon Musila, Mammalogy Section, National Museums of Kenya
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Working with SPOTTERON for our citizen science app was the best decision our team could have made! Philipp and his team led us through the design process and helped us translate our ideas into reality. As US clients, we were surprised that there was no lag in communication due to the time difference where the SPOTTERON team works. I am convinced they work around the clock! They always responded quickly to our emails and scheduled calls to meet our schedule. I highly recommend working with SPOTTERON if you are designing a citizen science app.
Jules Bruck, University of Delaware -
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Choosing SPOTTERON for our CrowdWater project was the best decision we could have made for developing the app. Excellent implementation of our (sometimes not entirely thought through) ideas, competent advice, and a fair business model - working with SPOTTERON is a major factor why CrowdWater is working so well.
Prof. Jan Seibert, Department of Geography Hydrology and Climate, University of Zurich -
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SPOTTERON has enabled Tea Bag Index to widen our citizen scientist engagement methods and helped us to come up with ideas on how to bring soils closer to the public. It is a pleasure to work with a company who wants to create a platform that is a communication possibility for everybody involved in the project!
Dr. Taru Sandén, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety - AGES -
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Working together with Spotteron has been a smooth and fast way to get our Citizen Science project started! Their impressive experience in app building as well as in communication with citizens has proven to be invaluable and complements nicely with a team of scientists taking their first steps in citizen science!
Bram Vanthournout, Ghent University -
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GLOBAL 2000 has been working closely with Spotteron for more than 3 years. Together we have started the DreckSpotz app and are constantly developing it. The SPOTTERON team is not only incredibly competent, but above all very flexible and uncomplicated. That's why we feel extremely well looked after as an environmental organization and NGO.
Johannes Frauscher, GLOBAL 2000, Friends of Earth Austria -
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The decision to use the SPOTTERON Citizen Science platform for our participatory project can be summarized best in this way: it was possible in a short time to create a well-working and user-friendly Citizen Science app for our research. The positive feedback on our project "Landauf - LandApp" shows that involving citizens in a scientific project can be a lot of fun when using the right tool.
Daniel Fähle, National Archive Baden-Württemberg, Germany -
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The app developed by SPOTTERON is an ideal extension to our established methods and strengthens the inclusion of Citizen Scientists. The design and intuitive usability relate also to a young audience. Especially the community features make a direct feedback possible and it is especially motivating that the SPOTTERON team themselves are actively contributing in the app - a win-win situation for everyone.
Irmgard Greilhuber, Mycological Society Austria, University of Vienna -
”Working with SPOTTERON to design the app was an interesting experience for me. As an ecology PhD student, I knew how to catch Brush-turkeys and design experiments to learn about their behaviour. I knew next to nothing about how to engage with the broader community at large. SPOTTERONS’s expertise was invaluable here, they have experience in designing apps that people want to use, and balance detail with ease of function.Matthew Hall, University of Sydney
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”I've worked with loads of app developers over my career, but none so high quality as SPOTTERON. Their capabilities are astounding. They are incredibly innovative, creative and agile with a keen sense of humour and lightness. SPOTTERON apps are the benchmark of how to do citizen science well. They are elevating our ability to engage with the natural world in a meaningful way.Jen Sutfin, EarthWatch Australia
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SPOTTERON brings a lot of passion and lots of expertise in the field of Citizen Science to the table, to present projects - not only in technical terms - in the right light. The websites for both schweiz-forscht.ch and ecsa-conference.eu are based on good and easy cooperation with our Austrian partners.
Yasemin Tutav, Science et Cité -
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I’m amazed by SPOTTERON's passion for CitizenScience, impressed by their energy and initiatives and grateful for what I’ve learned by collaborating with them on the Fjällkalendern app.
Kjell Bolmgren, University of Stockholm -
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As a scientist, collaborating with SPOTTERON to create our Citizen Science App ‘Fågelbär’ was the right choice. We could focus on what type of data we want to collect and the team at SPOTTERON designed, built and are now running the App!
Matilda Arnell, University of Stockholm -
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With our SPOTTERON App Nature's Calendar ZAMG we are always technically up-to-date. As a result we are able to offer our Citizen Scientists a tool which is also appealing to today's generation without having to worry about any technical questions.
Thomas Hübner, Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik ZAMG -
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Working with SPOTTERON implies working with a professional partner on the topics of Apps & Citizen Science. I was always very pleased about the reliability, but also the openness to try new things and the possibility to exchange with competent partners. Thanks!
Dr. Dott. Didone Frigerio, University of Vienna, KLF Grünau/Almtal -
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With our project Roadkill, we were on the SPOTTERON platform since its beginnings, this way we got to witness the great development of this tool first-hand and were able to contribute in the shaping process. SPOTTERON manages the fine balance between scientific research, community management and modern design. The personal collaboration on a professional level supports the comfortable atmosphere in the project.
Florian Heigl PhD, University of Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna -
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If you are looking for a dedicated team for the development of a Citizen Science App - even if that has to happen quite fast- you are in good hands at SPOTTERON. Fast communication, straightforward coordination and running updates of the app, even after the release, characterize our successful collaboration.
Magdalena Gärtner, Center for Human-Computer Interaction, University of Salzburg -
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Through the SPOTTERON App "Was geht ab?" we were able to create an appealing and useful possibility for kids, to spot problem- and feel-good areas in their home- and school surroundings. In the SPOTTERON team we found reliable and creative partners, that care about more than just the implementation.
Juliane Stark, University of Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna -
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Thanks to the experience and the knowhow as well as the basic structure of SPOTTERON, we were able to have the CrowdWater apps developed in no time. We consider the model that allows every project to use all newly developed tools very fair and transparent. This way our apps even got some new features, we didn't even know we needed before.
Simon Etter, University of Zurich -
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Through SPOTTERON we share more than just an app infrastructure with other projects, we also share ideas. This way we get to develop and constantly improve user-friendly apps, which are easy to handle and work for many different kinds of projects.
Barbara Strobl, University of Zurich -
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To me, SPOTTERON is the successful combination of scientific claim and aesthetic design. The apps work intuitively, are extremely appealing and still fulfill all my scientific requirements when it comes to data quality and safety. Working together happens in a very loyal and trusting way and that allows us to profit from the design- and usability experience SPOTTERON has.
Daniel Dörler, University of Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna -
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What I especially like about SPOTTERON, is that we get to use many ideas and new tools that were developed for other projects in the SPOTTERON family without having to pay for them..
Klaus Wanninger, Lacon
