It’s easy to feel helpless when we hear about species falling into extinction in far-away lands. But now, thanks to a new app that Microsoft Research developed in partnership with researchers from two organizations in Latin America, hikers and other nature enthusiasts can play an important role in keeping endangered species alive.
The app is called LiveANDES and is part of a system designed to collect, house and analyze data about Latin America’s wildlife.
Here’s how “citizen scientists” can help. Imagine you’re hiking in the Chilean countryside, and you think you’ve spotted a rare species. Simply take its picture with your smartphone, and use the LiveANDES app to upload the picture and any comments. Your photo and annotations, along with your geographical location and a time stamp, will be logged into the LiveANDES database.
The data will then be available to scientists around the world, helping biologists devise strategies to stabilize and restore vulnerable populations.
The LiveANDES platform was built using Microsoft technologies including Windows Phone, Microsoft SQL Server data management software, Bing Maps for locating and visualizing the animals, and the Microsoft .NET Framework for programming.
Find out more about this remarkable new tool for helping preserve endangered species. And read the Microsoft Earth Day 2013 blog post for a summary of our work to protect the environment.
Steve Clarke
Microsoft News Center Staff