A Milestone for Citizen Science: SPOTTERON 3.0 is here!

Grüezi* ,

‍WELCOME TO SPOTTERON 3.0! WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE:

It has been a busy year here at SPOTTERON. Despite the ongoing global pandemic, we are happy that a new platform generation is finally ready for your Citizen Science Apps! After months of building up the groundwork, thorough evaluation, testing and improving, we are excited to present you the new and most extensive Citizen Science Platform we've ever had running.

The Platform version 3.0 includes many new features, available for every new App on SPOTTERON without extra development costs, and most importantly, the finalization of the underlying Internet & Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, which makes this update a Milestone:

SPOTTERON ICT Infrastructure 3.0: a reliable technology base for Citizen Science Apps

‍‍Over the past month, we have worked hard to build up a new server and cloud services infrastructure, which increased the potentialities for future innovation in Citizen Science Apps and which serves as a reliable and stable environment for scaleable user participation. Since we always provide App Updates and long-term support for all projects, every App on SPOTTERON has already been updated to the new platform version.

The new ICT infrastructure is a significant step in developing the platform further and providing an upgraded and reliable cloud technology infrastructure for Citizen Science Apps with improved data ethics and user privacy - now and in the future.

Some projects have Custom Citizen Science Tools running alongside their Citizen Science App, like the SpiderSpotter Data Analysis Tool (DAT) or the Crowdwater Citizen Science Game. These additional tools allow the project's user community to help with data analysis and data quality with a live connection to the Citizen Science App's data - and they also benefit from the new technology "under the hood".

Engaging the public on the location: A new framework for local Citizen Science activities

‍So far, it has already been possible to use location-based events in the Citizen Science Apps on SPOTTERON for researchers and project teams. We've expanded the existing feature and developed a more holistic activity system with many improvements and modernizations. The new Project Activities allow the creation of project-specific activity types with which users can interact. For example, in the ClimateWatch App by Earthwatch Australia, users can now access a list of walking trails and link their observations and data points to them. This connection is also reflected in the project's data-set export for scientific analysis. The project activities in ClimateWatch are further used in public engagement and in building partnerships with local organizations, which are providing the trails.

>>‍ WATCH THE VIDEO HERE <<

We have developed the new Project Activity Framework with extendability in mind. All Citizen Science projects can now use this system to implement their activities and build on the work already done.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPOTTERON 3.0

BUT THERE IS MORE: NEW FEATURES FOR CITIZEN SCIENCE APPS

SPOTTERON is built on collaboration between projects at its heart. Once a project funds a new feature, all other projects on the platform can use it without any additional developing costs.

Data Visualization Overlay: Bringing Citizen Science Data to Life

Interactive visualizations help Citizens and Scientists understand the spatial distribution of data better and allow one to relate one's contributions to the whole data-set of the project. With the "Data Visualization Overlay", a new panel houses advanced visualizations like "Heat-Maps", accessible directly on the map in every Citizen Science App on the platform. We have designed the system to be highly extendable - new data visualization can also be implemented for custom project-specific appliances. READ MORE >>

User Mentions: Fostering Interaction in a Citizen Science Community

Communication is an essential aspect of many CItizen Science projects. All Apps on the SPOTTERON Platform include already a full-featured social community for interaction and exchange. With the new SPOTTERON 3.0 update, we have extended the Community Pack with a new feature: User Mentions. It is now possible to mention another user in a comment by simply writing @username. The mentioned user gets a notification in their newsfeed, allowing for a more direct and personal means of communication amongst users and scientists. READ MORE >>

Website based Info-Panels: Managing Science Communication

Information can be crucial at the right moment. For helping Citizens with, e.g. species identification or for providing learning opportunities, Info-Panels can be placed directly in the data submission form. With our new feature "Web-based Info-Panels" for projects with SPOTTERON Package B, we have developed a new system for integrating pages directly from the project's website into the Citizen Science App, allowing the self-management of the content without the need for a custom App Update. This is making science communication via the App more flexible and efficient. READ MORE >>

Markdown Standard Integration - making comments stand out

The new Markdown integration allows the Citizen Scientists to highlight and format words or statements in their comments. It increases the possibilities to express oneself in all Citizen Science Apps. Writing **something** makes text bold, and writing*something* makes text italic.

Metadata import of uploaded images

This convenient feature can read any existing metadata of photos uploaded in a Spot from the local storage of a phone's gallery or a computer, such as a date, time and place. A new dialogue pops up and asks if this data should be taken over for the Spot into the Citizen Science App.

Wie es sich anfühlt ein CitizenScientist zu sein (und einen bedeutsamen Fund zu machen)

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW FEATURES

‍JOIN UP FOR CITIZEN SCIENCE
SPOTTERON 3 IS LIVE AND READY TO USE IN YOUR CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT!

Your Citizen Science project should run on a stable and reliable basis. SPOTTERON provides a modern and innovative platform for your custom Smartphone Apps and Interactive Maps for your website - all bundled into fixed price packages with app updates, ongoing maintenance and regular updates.

SEE THE SPOTTERON PACKAGES

‍Stay safe and best regards from Vienna!

Your SPOTTERON Citizen Science Team

‍ *Hello in Swiss

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