About the Observer smart phone application

The Observer is an application for smart phones that allows you to quickly and efficiently report wild plant occurrences. This application makes it easy for you to report the species name, date, and location of over 10,000 California native and non-native plant taxa. You can also add a photograph to a report, and share it with others later to confirm identification. Your reports are transmitted wirelessly to the Calflora database, where you can edit them and see them on a map.

To use the application, you need to

REGISTER AS A CONTRIBUTOR.

When you upload observations from your phone, they go into the database in an unpublished state. You can use the My Observations application to edit your observations, and when they are ready, publish them so that they are visible to other Calflora users.

The Observer application for Android phones can be downloaded from this page. The iPhone version is available via iTunes (search for "Calflora Observer"). We need your input on how this application can be improved. We are eager to hear any feedback or comments you may have. If you would like to get involved more directly, please write -- we need your help.

INSTALL THE APPLICATION:

1. REGISTER for a Calflora account, if you do not already have one. Be sure to REGISTER AS A CONTRIBUTOR at the same time.

2. Android users: DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION onto your phone and install it. (See Release Notes for the features and bug fixes of each release.)

• MOST RECENT RELEASE v. 1.23 (cbo123x.apk, February 7, 2012)

• NEXT MOST RECENT RELEASE v. 1.22b (cbo12.apk, January 8, 2012)

• NEXT MOST RECENT RELEASE (cbo1.1.apk, December 15, 2011)

• NEXT MOST RECENT RELEASE (cbo100.apk, May 6, 2011)

• You also can download Observer from the Android marketplace. ATT users must download directly from the Android marketplace.

3. iPhone users: On iTunes, search for "Calflora Observer."

RUN THE APPLICATION:

1. Run the application. LOGIN using the same email address and password you used to register.

2. Go to Utilities / Download Plant Lists and download one or more plant lists. Note that plant list names that begin with "local" (such as "local plants") include only plants that have been observed near your current location. (Make your own plant lists, or look closely at predefined lists, with this application: Plant List Definition)

3. Go to Make Observations / Pick a Plant / change the list and select one of the plant lists you just downloaded. To choose a plant, type in part of the scientific or common name. Or, press pick a plant from the list and scroll through the list. For more details on making observations, see this document.

4. When you are back at a place with a strong WiFi signal, turn your phone's WiFi on, and upload your observations. (Note that the application will attempt to upload even without a WiFi signal, but if your observations include photos, this is not recommended.)

5. Once you have uploaded some observations, go to the My Observations application to edit and publish them.

6. Thank you for helping to test this application. When you find elements that need to be fixed or improved, please write us with your feedback or comments. To make this easier, there is a link on the Utilities screen of the application that will let you send comments from your phone.

iPhone users: See Observer App for iPhone and iPhone Instructions for details about how to use the app.

ABOUT THE PROJECT:

Calflora has developed the Observer smart phone application in collaboration with the California Early Detection Network. The phone app is part of an integrated plant mapping platform that replaces cumbersome hardware/software now used to collect and manage plant mapping data. By removing technological and logistic obstacles and streamlining data collection and management, this innovative system makes it possible for all field personnel to quickly, accurately, and efficiently collect and manage native and invasive plant occurrence data. A short YouTube video that outlines the system can be found at http://BAEDN.org.

The Observer application for Android phones was developed by Calflora based on source code for the What's Invasive smart phone application from UCLA's Center for Embedded Network Sensing (CENS). The Android version is now (May, 2011) available on Android Market. CENS engineers have recently released an iPhone version of the Observer application, which is available on iTunes (thanks to funding from partners listed below). Partners are seeking additional funding to integrate polygon and line mapping data, develop an iPad-based polygon mapping system, include GeoWeed and WIMS linkage, and to build a MyWeedManager module for planning, tracking, and evaluating outcome of weed management actions.

To get involved in designing and building this innovative platform, please email Coordinator@CaliforniaEDN.org.
 

THANK YOU SUPPORTERS:

The project has been possible thanks to the generosity of these visionary supporters:

• Audubon Canyon Ranch
• Bay Area Early Detection Network
• California Early Detection Network
• Center for Embedded Network Sensing, UCLA
• The Bay Institute
• Friends of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge
• Marin Audubon
• Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center
• Point Reyes National Seashore Association
• The Rockey Fund of Marin Community Foundation

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Android users: See Release Notes

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