Mobile Birding App and Geologger 

Let’s call this idea “BirdApp” and make it for the iPhone (or any location-aware handheld computer with internet access).

[Update: Apparently I didn't get this posted soon enough. There's already an iPhone bird guide App called iBird (of course). It doesn't include my Shazam-like idea to help identify birds by their song, but it does include wiki-pages for birds, and info uploaded to ebird.com.]

Identify Birds

BirdApp users would be able to use their iPhone or mobile device to identify birds,

• By Location: BirdApp matches the user’s GPS coordinates to return a list of ‘likely’ birds, so the user doesn’t have to wade through descriptions of birds that only live on the other side of the world. In other words, penguins won’t be on the default list of birds near Boston. However, because many birds are migratory the list is adjustable, so users have the option of including more exotic birds.
• By Song: Hear a birdsong, but can’t identify it? Whistle or hum it into the iPhone microphone and BirdApp will check it against an online database (similar to Shazam). BirdApp returns a list of possible bird matches sorted by likelihood (number of sightings in geographical area, similarity to tone, etc.)

BirdApp returns a list of potential matches with thumbnail image, short description, and likely locations. Clicking on an image brings up multiple images (from Google images?), a song sound file to match the birdsong, more detailed descriptions of the birds, details to look for, number of that species’ sightings in the area (Google map with markers) etc. 

Log Bird Sightings

Once the bird is identified, BirdApp users can log their sightings. The GPS coordinates, time, and date are automatically logged. The user can manually enter the number of birds. This information then appears on the map.

Contribute to Community

Logged information is uploaded to the online database. Based on the uploaded information, related information is displayed (other birds to look for — mates, offspring, prey, predators, etc.). The logged data is incorporated into the database (according to best practices/protocol for such databases). In this way, users directly contribute to the birding community, the local community, and the scientific community.

Link to paper [256KB PDF]

Last week was the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) and National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) in Houston, TX (link). Proposed by Steve Camicia of Utah State, the symposium I was on included Simone Schweber of UW-Madison, Jeremy Stoddard from the College of William and Mary. The Discussant was Diana Hess of UW-Madison.This is a video of the slides I presented. Someday when I’m not working on finishing my final dissertation chapters, I’d like to do a proper “voice-over” version of my presentations, but until then Count Basie and others will have to provide backup to the visuals.

Abstract: This paper discusses the introduction of a location-based handheld video game in the curriculum of a primitive deep woods summer camp for boys. Controversies simmer over this geography and outdoor curriculum. Stakeholders on both sides of the issue struggle over ideologies over human connections to the environment. This paper examines the game and the battle over a ‘tip’ toward technology in the social studies curriculum.

Played throughout a 4-day hiking trip, the Augmented Reality (AR) game triggered the display of place-specific just-in-time information leading campers through a game narrative “to save the camp” while directing them to explore areas on and off established trails. Findings indicate that the game narrative motivated deeper participation in the trip, and navigational assistance from the game’s Global Positioning System (GPS) eased players’ fears, reassuring them as they ventured beyond their comfort zone.

The study also raises issues regarding masculinity, environmentalism, and tradition, as embedded in the camp community culture. Foremost, as a video game at a “primitive” deep woods camp for boys that has no electricity and telephone, it bucks a culture that is sometimes disdainful of certain manifestations of technology (e.g. LED flashlights and high-tech garments are good, but iPods are bad). Additionally, in encouraging players to go off main trails in order to avoid enemy scouts, the game narrative contradicts a basic tenet of environmental Leave-No-Trace guidelines — to stay on trails.

Furthermore, while some boys attributed the addition of GPS and games to opening up the possibility of “more hard-core” trip, some felt the high-tech navigational aids (v.s map and compass on a typical trip) emasculated them. Finally, framing the hiking trip through a “silly” game narrative trivialized their experience.Beyond the culture of the camp, the video game-based curriculum broaches larger contentious questions. For example, do the ecological costs of the extra traffic off trail in the local mountains outweigh the pollution and gas costs to van the trip to a state park? Is this type of woods-based informal education safe enough in the nation’s current culture of fear where parents are reluctant to be disconnected from their children, even beyond the tether of the mobile phone, for 2-7 weeks? If this sort of place-based AR game makes for good learning, then where is the equity for families who cannot afford to send their kids to camps where it occurs?

So much fun following predictions for Apple’s “Let’s Rock!” event today.

My prediction is Steve Job’s retirement.

Here’s why:

1. “In the phrase “Let’s Rock,” the rock symbolizes Job’s gravestone (we all should have clearly realized this when his obituary was released). 
2. The rock also hints at the iXcaliber sword in the stone that Arthur (aka Ives?) needs to pull out. 
3. Jobs immenent retirement would also explain the mysterious comment that “our stocks will temporarily drop this fall while we undergo a major product transition…” from the shareholders’ meeting this summer.
4. Jobs loves the Beatle (“I am the Walrus!”)

Arguably, Apple’s most major product is Jobs (Reality Distortion Field), and the transition to Ives and his toilet-smooth product design will cause investors to be wary temporarily, until they see how well it all flushes out.

It’s all very brilliant, and humorously understated in typical Apple fashion. And framed positively as a party — “Let’s rock!”

Hopefully there will be new laptops unveiled (shipping immediately) as well because I really need one. Also on my wish list is an iPod Touch (phoneless) with GPS and camera that we can use to create our Augmented Reality Games for schools (so they don’t have to buy iPhones and 2-year phone contracts).