June 10, 2008

Citizen Science via The iPhone 3G

One of the most talked about features of the new iPhone is the addition of geolocation capabilities. There are a host of GPS based services coming down the line: connecting with nearby friends, finding restaurants, getting directions - all standard stuff. But what else is possible?
Wired has suggested that the combination of the iPhone’s accurate location data and cheap environmental sensors could lay the foundation for a crowd sourced scientific revolution. Imagine “citizen scientists,” iPhones in hand, taking air quality readings and rainfall measurements. If such a system was set up, scientists back in the lab would have access to a rich set of information, enabling a real-time environmental pulse to be taken and shared.
Wired Science: GPS-Equipped iPhone Could Enable New Citizen Science





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