Dear All: I am happy to inform you about the availability of a new citizen science smartphone app called “CyanoTRACKER” for water quality monitoring. This app was developed by our team as a part of the NSF-funded CyberSEES project for early detection of blue-green algae (aka Cyanobacteria) blooms in lakes, ponds, lagoons, estuaries, coasts etc.
The CyanoTRACKER app lets citizen science volunteers to take a picture and report cyanobacteria blooms or any types of algal blooms occurring in their neighborhood waters. We will perform advanced analytics on incoming reports by integrating them with relevant satellite image data and in-situ sensor data. The reports will also be archived in a database. In case of a severe Cyano bloom, we will conduct field trips to measure pigments and toxins etc., and inform lake managers or restoration managers. We believe this app will be very helpful in the long-term monitoring and management of our precious water resources. Both iOS (iPhone) and Android versions of the App are available. Instructions on how to download the app are included at the end of this email. We hope that you will download our app and participate in this research project by reporting potential Cyano blooms in your neighborhood ponds, lakes and lagoons. We also request you to encourage your friends and colleagues to participate in this project (please feel free to forward this email to anyone who might be interested in using the app). We deeply appreciate your help on this. If you have any trouble installing or have any questions regarding the iOS or Android version of the CyanoTRACKER app, please feel free to email Michael Scott (mida...@uga.edu) or contact us at cyanotrac...@gmail.com. To learn more about the project, visit www.cyanotracker.uga.edu. Thank you very much for your consideration. Instructions for installing the iOS (iPhone version): Please go to the App store and search “cyanotracker” (without quotes). Download and install the App. You may be prompted regarding the permissions required by the app. File reading/writing permissions are used to enable the app to upload your photos. The location services are used when you take a photo with the app so that it may be tagged with the location data. Network access is required in order to connect and submit your reports. The app lets you submit reports anonymously or using your Google/Twitter/Apple login (the login option is preferable). Instructions for installing the Android Version: In order to download the CyanoTRACKER app on Android devices, you should first locate the 'Google Play Store' launcher on your device. If you cannot locate the icon on your home screen you may need to click the "Apps" icon and search through the list there. From the Google Play Store you may search for "cyanotracker" (without quotes) to bring up the app information and installation page. Click install. You may be prompted regarding the permissions required by the app. File reading/writing permissions are used to enable the app to upload your photos. The location services are used when you take a photo with the app so that it may be tagged with the location data. Network access is required in order to connect and submit your reports. The app lets you submit reports anonymously or using your Google/Twitter/Apple login (the login option is preferable). Best regards, Deepak Mishra and The CyanoTracker@UGA Team. Deepak Mishra, PhD Associate Professor Department of Geography University of Georgia 210 Field Street, Room 204 Athens, GA 30602 Phone: 706-542-8927 Fax: 706-542-2388
