Philippe St Marc
We thought of Water Guardians while imagining potential solutions to protect ecosystems from invasive alien species. We then decided to focus our work on designing an application that would facilitate the user experience as much as possible, to make it enticing for people of all backgrounds.
All, or at least most of us have been disturbed by algae when taking a casual swim in the ocean on our holidays. Unfortunately, species of algae have grown into ever-present components of the Mediterranean Sea. However, you might not know that many of them such as the Caulerpa Taxifolia are non-native, or alien species, meaning they were introduced intentionally or unintentionally by humans outside of their natural range. In order to combat this issue, Water Guardians uses image recognition technology coupled with geolocation capabilities to maintain a real-time database of invasive algae in the Mediterranean Sea. By downloading our app, citizens desiring cleaner, beaches and waters can actively participate in the removal of invasive algae.
Everyone. Our mobile app was created with the idea that all citizens have a responsibility to participate in the safe keeping of the environments they interact with. More specifically though, we are targeting local citizens from cities around the Mediterranean Sea, fishermen and ocean conservationist associations. Associations play a key role in identifying the various species of algae found by our common users.
After signing-in, users are immediately prompted to report an IAS species with an upload button at the center of the homepage, so that they can make their reports in a timely fashion once accustomed to the app. Users can also educate themselves about different types of IAS species in the “ID Cards” section of our app.
As every great project starts with a plan, we gathered up to brainstorm around our project.
We came up with the mindmap below, the seed for an original raw application idea. If you would like to have a look at it, we would be happy to hear your comments and thoughts.
After this protoyping phase, we moved with user testings. You can follow the interviews on the link below.
In the coming future, we will be developping further the features and following up with user testings.
Classification is automatized by Artificial intelligence. The system analyzes the image and gives a probability percentage. This process reassures users who have more confidence in a program that provides percentages and nuances, as to a "100%" result.
Mapping is automatized unless there is a degree of doubt for the IAS classification. In this case a human intervention is necessary and this is done through the partnership with Research Institutes and Researchers to confirm the species of IAS.
The application has a large database, created from the knowledge of researchers with whom Waters Guardians has a partnership, but also thanks to the information collected via users of the application. This database allows an optimal classification and the creation of ID cards I that aim to educate users. We also have an API that allows us to send data to subscribers (research centers/partners) in a secure way.
Hi ! I am a 22 years old student, passionate about art, history and discovering new places. I spend my free time drawing or walking around.
I'm a 23 years old business student, passionate about sports and nature among other things. I think preserving and respecting the environment of parmount importance for all people.
Hello ! I'm a 23 years old student that loves nature and the environment. I'm interested in music, art and painting/drawing. In my free time you will probably find me contemplating natural scenaries.
Hi ! I am 38 years old. I am passionate about travelling, animals and...Nature. I love hiking and camping.
Being surrounded by trees, waking up on the sound of birds in the morning or watching the sunrise. Apart from being with my son, these are precious fulfilling moments to me.
Passioned by the customers and UX/UI design?
We do need you to ensure the perfect fluidity and intuitive use of our app.
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We need to develop our app for both IOS and Android.
We look for 2 developers experienced with Javascript and C++ and a proficiency in Android and iOS SDK.