Comments on: Future iPhone app may identify trees from photos http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/ Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:16:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Kristy http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-28793 Kristy Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:43:59 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-28793 As a landscape designer, I think this application would be great! The application might not be able to identify the exact species, but it would at least give a person an idea as to what type or types of plant it could be. I'm excited to see what it can do! As a landscape designer, I think this application would be great! The application might not be able to identify the exact species, but it would at least give a person an idea as to what type or types of plant it could be. I'm excited to see what it can do!

]]> By: Lars Didriksen http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-28696 Lars Didriksen Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:23:19 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-28696 So to "A botanist in Connecticut" you may be right (you probably are) but a superficial knowledge is far better then no knowledge. If my daughter eats a berry, I’ll sample the plant, and take it with me to the hospital immediately, along with my daughter under any circumstance. The thing about the leaves is I might not be able to tell Pear leaves from apple leaves, but a computer would. If there is one thing computers can do its identifying patterns, who knows if this app catches on and gets some financial interest, it could evolve. But more importantly with an app like this a walk in the woods would just be so much more fun. It just opens up the world so much more. I was going to get a winmo Phone (a HTC leo when it comes out) but now I´m actually considering getting an Android powered phone instead. So to "A botanist in Connecticut" you may be right (you probably are) but a superficial knowledge is far better then no knowledge. If my daughter eats a berry, I’ll sample the plant, and take it with me to the hospital immediately, along with my daughter under any circumstance. The thing about the leaves is I might not be able to tell Pear leaves from apple leaves, but a computer would. If there is one thing computers can do its identifying patterns, who knows if this app catches on and gets some financial interest, it could evolve.
But more importantly with an app like this a walk in the woods would just be so much more fun. It just opens up the world so much more.
I was going to get a winmo Phone (a HTC leo when it comes out) but now I´m actually considering getting an Android powered phone instead.

]]> By: George http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-21863 George Fri, 29 May 2009 18:30:55 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-21863 First to be able to identify trees with the camera - that's AWESOME! Great JOB! Second: A company named "Malus Pumila" developed the world's first "Baby Translator" for the iphone/ipod touch recently. It's just a joke it looks like, but man - everything on this little device! http://bit.ly/cNXGw First to be able to identify trees with the camera – that's AWESOME! Great JOB!

Second:
A company named "Malus Pumila" developed the world's first
"Baby Translator" for the iphone/ipod touch recently. It's just a joke it looks like, but man – everything on this little device!
http://bit.ly/cNXGw

]]> By: A botanist in Connecticut http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19843 A botanist in Connecticut Thu, 07 May 2009 17:33:16 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19843 The results from this app will be superficial at best. Plants are classified by their reproductive parts (flowers and fruits), not their leaves. Plant taxonomy generally requires analysis of many morphological features that develop at different times of the year and can't be captured in one photo. Furthermore, plants that are not even in the same family can have very similar leaves. Here's a test: Take leaves from an apple tree (genus Malus), a pear tree (genus Pyrus), and a shadbush (genus Amelanchier native to the eastern US). Close your eyes and mix them up on the table. Can you identify them again? The results from this app will be superficial at best. Plants are classified by their reproductive parts (flowers and fruits), not their leaves. Plant taxonomy generally requires analysis of many morphological features that develop at different times of the year and can't be captured in one photo. Furthermore, plants that are not even in the same family can have very similar leaves. Here's a test: Take leaves from an apple tree (genus Malus), a pear tree (genus Pyrus), and a shadbush (genus Amelanchier native to the eastern US). Close your eyes and mix them up on the table. Can you identify them again?

]]> By: The coolest thing I’ve heard all day at Thank you for not being perky http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19778 The coolest thing I’ve heard all day at Thank you for not being perky Tue, 05 May 2009 20:58:25 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19778 [...] I was researching iPhone apps for the crafting world and came across this news item for a future iPhone app that will let you take a picture of a tree and then will identify it for you. How rad is that? When that happens it will be great, but until [...] [...] I was researching iPhone apps for the crafting world and came across this news item for a future iPhone app that will let you take a picture of a tree and then will identify it for you. How rad is that? When that happens it will be great, but until [...]

]]> By: Kate in Lancaster http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19768 Kate in Lancaster Tue, 05 May 2009 19:55:42 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19768 I can't wait for this app to come out! I'm constantly poring through books looking for identification, not only of trees, but flowers, birds, you name it. I hope someone is developing one like this (or rolling the capability into this one) to identify birds and plants as well. And for birds, identify not only by their looks but by their songs. If Shazam can do that for music, why not have something that can do it for birds? P.S. to the iPhone camera haters: My 3G phone takes good close-ups -- I just took a wee flower that was poking out of some chain link fencing, and it's beautiful! And my long-distance shots are good and clear, too. Not publication-worthy, but certainly capable of doing what this app promises to do. I can't wait for this app to come out! I'm constantly poring through books looking for identification, not only of trees, but flowers, birds, you name it. I hope someone is developing one like this (or rolling the capability into this one) to identify birds and plants as well. And for birds, identify not only by their looks but by their songs. If Shazam can do that for music, why not have something that can do it for birds?

P.S. to the iPhone camera haters: My 3G phone takes good close-ups - I just took a wee flower that was poking out of some chain link fencing, and it's beautiful! And my long-distance shots are good and clear, too. Not publication-worthy, but certainly capable of doing what this app promises to do.

]]> By: North Shore Dan http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19767 North Shore Dan Tue, 05 May 2009 19:46:23 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19767 How about other practical applications of this technology? Imagine being able to instantly identify the plant which produced the berry that your child just swallowed and whether it is toxic or not. Or being hungry and instantly able to tell which plants around you are edible. How about other practical applications of this technology? Imagine being able to instantly identify the plant which produced the berry that your child just swallowed and whether it is toxic or not. Or being hungry and instantly able to tell which plants around you are edible.

]]> By: Dan http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19760 Dan Tue, 05 May 2009 19:12:44 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19760 How about a app that identifies apples. How about a app that identifies apples.

]]> By: jdsuttercnn http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19756 jdsuttercnn Tue, 05 May 2009 19:00:06 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19756 Thanks for the comments. I wasn't aware of the "Portable Botanist" app for the Google Android. Sounds cool. Those of you who are working on it: Would users be able to upload the data they collect (the type of plant and the locations) to a public database? Is that a hope for the future, or is it more of an educational tool? Thanks again for the good discussion. --John / CNN.com Thanks for the comments. I wasn't aware of the "Portable Botanist" app for the Google Android. Sounds cool. Those of you who are working on it: Would users be able to upload the data they collect (the type of plant and the locations) to a public database? Is that a hope for the future, or is it more of an educational tool?

Thanks again for the good discussion.

–John / CNN.com

]]> By: Nevo Band http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/04/future-iphone-app-may-identify-trees-from-photos/#comment-19750 Nevo Band Tue, 05 May 2009 18:32:29 +0000 http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/?p=2764#comment-19750 We've been working on a similar program for the Android http://portablebotanist.com/ We've been working on a similar program for the Android
http://portablebotanist.com/

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