Pocket Field Guide: an AI that wants you to put your phone away
This is a submission for the Hacktoberfest Open-Source AI Challenge Week 1: Touch Grass What I Built Most nature apps are built like every other app: they want your attention. You point the camera at a bird and get an answer, and then you're scrolling a species page while the bird flies off. Pocket Field Guide is built the other way round. It's a browser app with two models running entirely on…
This is a field guide for nature enthusiasts that uses AI to encourage people to step outside and observe their surroundings. Instead of providing information passively, Pocket Field Guide prompts users to find specific items and then guides them in identifying and documenting their discoveries. Users download the app, which runs entirely offline, and input the amount of time and location they plan to explore.
A list of items to search for is generated, along with a timer and checklist for keeping track of found items. Users photograph discovered specimens and the AI matches them against a built-in field guide of around 150 common species. After identification, the AI creates a concise field note with suggestions for further exploration.
The app saves all findings in a local journal and allows users to export the data as Markdown. With no internet connection required, Pocket Field Guide is an offline-friendly tool perfect for nature lovers who want to improve their observation skills and experience the outdoors.
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