#Google Lens

[rebeccathenaturalist]

An App Does Not a Master Naturalist Make

Originally posted on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/app-not-master-naturalist/ - I had written this as an op-ed and sent it to WaPo, but they had no interest, so you get to read it here instead!

I have mixed feelings about Michael Coren’s April 25 Washington Post article, “These 4 free apps can help you identify every flower, plant and tree around you.” His ebullience at exploring some of the diverse ecological community around him made me grin, because I know exactly what it feels like. There’s nothing like that sense of wonder and belonging when you go outside and are surrounded by neighbors of many species, instead of a monotonous wall of green, and that is a big part of what led me to become a Master Naturalist.

When I moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest in 2006, I felt lost because I didn’t recognize many of the animals or plants in my new home. So I set about systematically learning every species that crossed my path. Later, I began teaching community-level classes on nature identification to help other people learn skills and tools for exploring their local flora, fauna, and fungi.

Threeleaf foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata)

Let me be clear: I love apps. I use Merlin routinely to identify unknown bird songs, and iNaturalist is my absolute favorite ID app, period. But these tools are not 100% flawless.

For one thing, they’re only as good as the data you provide them. iNaturalist’s algorithms, for example, rely on a combination of photos (visual data), date and time (seasonal data), and GPS coordinates (location data) to make initial identification suggestions. These algorithms sift through the 135-million-plus observations uploaded to date, finding observations that have similar visual, seasonal, and location data to yours.

There have been many times over the years where iNaturalist isn’t so sure. Take this photo of a rather nondescript clump of grass. Without seed heads to provide extra clues, the algorithms offer an unrelated assortment of species, with only one grass. I’ve gotten that “We’re not confident enough to make a recommendation” message countless times over my years of using the app, often suggesting species that are clearly not what I’m looking at in real life.

Because iNaturalist usually offers up multiple options, you have to decide which one is the best fit. Sometimes it’s the first species listed, but sometimes it’s not. This becomes trickier if all the species that are suggested look alike. Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) and eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra) all have pinnately compound, lanceolate leaves, and young plants of these three species can appear quite similar. If all you know how to do is point and click your phone’s camera, you aren’t going to be able to confidently choose which of the three plants is the right one.

Coren correctly points out that both iNaturalist and Pl@ntNet do offer more information on suggested species—if people are willing to take the time to look. Too many assume ID apps will give an easy, instant answer. In watching my students use the app in person almost everyone just picks the first species in the list. It’s not until I demonstrate how to access the additional content for each species offered that anyone thinks to question the algorithms’ suggestions.

While iNaturalist is one of the tools I incorporate into my classes, I emphasize that apps in general are not to be used alone, but in conjunction with field guides, websites, and other resources. Nature identification, even on a casual level, requires critical thinking and observation skills if you want to make sure you’re correct. Coren’s assertion that you only need a few apps demonstrates a misunderstanding of a skill that takes time and practice to develop properly—and accurately.

Speaking of oversimplification, apps are not a Master Naturalist in your pocket, and that statement —while meant as a compliment–does a disservice to the thousands of Master Naturalists across the country. While the training curricula vary from state to state, they are generally based in learning how organisms interact within habitats and ecosystems, often drawing on a synthesis of biology, geology, hydrology, climatology, and other natural sciences. A Master Naturalist could tell you not only what species you’re looking at, but how it fits into this ecosystem, how its adaptations are different from a related species in another ecoregion, and so forth.

Map showing Level III and IV ecoregions of Oregon, the basis of my training as an Oregon Master Naturalist.

In spite of my criticisms, I do think that Coren was absolutely onto something when he described the effects of using the apps. Seeing the landscape around you turn from a green background to a vibrant community of living beings makes going outside a more exciting, personal experience. I and my fellow nature nerds share an intense curiosity about the world around us. And that passion, more than any app or other tool, is fundamental to becoming a citizen naturalist, Master or otherwise.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

#iNaturalist #plant apps #Seek #Merlin #nature #wildlife #plant identification #apps #botany #biology #science #scicomm #science communication #Google Lens #naturalist #Master Naturalist #conservation #environment

[minyicho]

i feel like no one is talking about this. google lens is just so much worse than reverse image search like just let me see where an image is from

#rant #google #apps #features #reverse image search #google lens #tech #technology #google update #minyicho #internet #internet drama #updates #twitter #tweets #viral tweets #funny tweets #funny twitter #relatable #relatable tweets #relatable twitter #relatable memes #memes #twitter memes #twitter jokes #twitter update

[lookslikethatsallthetimewehave]

Trying to find pictures of Daphne Dreadnaught using Google Lens, and I just get a much of Myron Van Buren XD

Maybe they really are related...

Edit: another one

#suspicious #daphne dreadnaught #spook central #ghost story island #myron van buren #survival island #poptropica #google lens #poptropica theory

[nowwhosapunkymonkey]

Google Lens is quite the tool

#mmpr #jacob anderson #google lens

[c0smicshine]

sillies

NEGITORO/MIKU X LUKA SHIPPERS ABSOLUTELY DO NOT FUCKING INTERACT

#project sekai #vocaloid #hatsune miku #megurine luka #25 ji nightcord de #nightcord at 25:00 #niigo #google lens #google translate

[harimenui-forever]

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but traditional google image search is fuckin dead somehow. The one thing that was actually good cuz it was good for searching who reposted your stuff? Dead, in the gutter in the favor of some stupid google lens bullshit.

It LOOKS LIKE SHIT AND IT DOESN'T WORK

It just shows you stuff it thinks is similar, but when you search for the source of the image it doesn't show you shit? Like I know my Saul drawing is both on tumblr and on instagram, the only thing it showed me was a link to some tumblr archive with the tag but NOT THE ACTUAL FUCKIN POST

IT IS USELESS HOW IS ANYONE SUPPOSED TO FIND ANYTHING??? HOW DO I SEARCH FOR ARTISTS WHOSE WORK IS UNSIGNED???

#google #google lens #whyyyy #how do i even tag this #please tell me im not the only one

[ghost-of-you]

X

#5sos #lockscreens #5sos lockscreen #mc #im digging through twitter looking for the source of this picture #i swear i have like 55 different tabs open #google lens #and image search #i cant find it #if someone knows please tell me #so i can credit it #thanks #michael clifford #5sos lockscreens

[sylvyspritii]

Just tried Google Lens for the first time

It works!

#goncharov #goncharev #google lens

[honeybeeshepherd]

Can anyone please recommend me a Reverse Image Search alternative to Google Images? All I want to do is find the exact same image I uploaded, sorted by size, but google seems intent on promoting the far inferior Lens feature and not even clicking on the Find Image Source botton works anymore.

#reverse image search #Google lens #I think yandex so far seems closest to what I want #also if anyone can recommend a better search engine full stop that would also be welcome #it is amazing how irrelevant google search results have gotten lately

[lingocurio]

So guys, did you know about Google lens?? That it can translate text in an image?! I just discovered this function on my phone the other day, and I was able to "read" a package that was in Japanese!

Here's the package. I can read hiragana and katakana but I suck at kanji. I know the last kanji is "cha" (tea), and the hiragana says "kobu", but I didn't know what "kobucha" is.

I knew it was some sort of beverage powder. I wasn't sure if kobucha is the same thing as kombucha.

Here's the back:

Do I just add water? Does it need to ferment, or what? No idea. Then I found out I can do this:

Isn't that wild?? This is sooo great! I have so many things I can't read, and now I will be able to!

So, in case you are having a hard time reading the translated image, this is "umekobucha". Ume is plum, and kobucha is kombucha (a fermented drink made of kelp). I've never actually had kombucha before, even though it seems to be all the rage and is available everywhere. Fermented kelp doesn't sound too appealing to me, but I'm willing to give umekobucha a try.

#japanese language #japanese #japan #google lens #translator #translation #umekobucha #kombucha #ume #japanese plum #kanji #梅コブ茶

[asenbosen]

#google lens #bangla tutorial #information #technology #technolovers

[techniktagebuch]

1. und 2. Mai 2022

Über den Jordan

Markus: Evtl. gucken wir uns morgen (aus sicherem Abstand) eine Tauffabrik am Jordan an: https://www.yardenit.com/ "Each year we welcome over half a million tourists and pilgrims, who come to experience the tranquility and spiritual beauty of the waters in which Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist."

Molinarius: spiritual beauty, process optimized

André: Wenn schon taufen, dann aber richtig.

Markus: Da muss man vermutlich aufpassen, dass man nicht aus Versehen getauft wird. Wobei: man wird darauf achten, dass vor dem Taufen die Kreditkarte eingelesen wird.

André: Bestimmt erhöhte Wirksamkeit.

Markus: Longlife Guarantee

Am nächsten Tag

Markus: Statt uns taufen zu lassen, sind wir lieber über den Jordan gepaddelt.

Molinarius: Sehr gute Alternative. Es gibt am Jordan echt eine touristische Paddel- und Taufinfrastruktur?

Markus: Jau!

Und jede Menge Müll. 

Jordan-Absperrung, an der sich jede Menge Müll sammelt.

Molinarius: Sieht ja nur so mittelspirituell aus. Hast du mal gegoogel-lenst, was auf den Schildern steht?

Markus: Ich weiß nicht, wie Google Lens auf dem iPhone geht. 

Molinarius: Ach ja, iPhone.. das hat doch bestimmt auch ne Funktion dafür? Wenn ich dein Bild auf meinem Androiden öffne und reinzoome, kann ich mir direkt die Übersetzung auf das Schild schreiben lassen:

Erste Google-Lens Übersetzung

Molinarius: “GEFÄHRLICH - LÜGE NICHT”

Weißte Bescheid!

Molinarius: Wollen wir zusammen einen kurzen Techniktagebuch-Beitrag über das Schild  beim Paddeln und Google Lens schreiben?

Markus: Ja, können wir. Übrigens scheint die App auf dem iPhone “Google Übersetzer” zu heißen. Der hatte mir allerdings anfangs gesagt, er könne kein Hebräisch aus einem Foto übersetzen. Da hatte ich erst eine andere App probiert, die hörte aber irgendwann auf zu funktionieren und wollte Geld.

Screenshot, allerdings vom iPad, da sich die Meldung auf dem iPhone nicht reproduzieren ließ.

Die Situationskomik der Übersetzung „GEFÄHRLICH - LÜGE NICHT“ und der Tauffabrik basiert dann doch leider auf einem Missverständnis. Das Foto mit den Warnschildern zeigt mitnichten die Tauffabrik, sondern eine Stelle, an dem ein Großteil des Wasser aus dem Jordan für Bewässerungszwecke abgepumpt wird. Dort darf (und kann) man nicht weiterpaddeln, es sammelt sich aber jede Menge Müll, den man schon zuvor überall liegen und schwimmen sieht. 

Müll auf dem Jordan

Die Tauffabrik (als solche wird sie im mitgeführten Reiseführer bezeichnet) liegt von dort gut 2 km flussaufwärts. Sie befindet sich sehr dicht am Abfluss des Jordan aus dem See Genezareth. Dort sieht man verschiedene Gebäude und Gänge mit Geländern, wo Personen offenbar in langen Schlangen durch das Jordanwasser geführt werden. Von Aussichtsterrassen aus können sie dabei beobachtet werden, scheint es. Zum Zeitpunkt des Besuchs war offenkundig gerade kein Taufbetrieb.

Tauffabrik Yardenit

Tauffabrik Yardenit

Ach, und nach verschiedenen Übersetzungsversuchen zeigt Google-Lens dann auch eine sinnvollere Übersetzung an:

Treffende Übersetzung “GEFAHR: NICHT NÄHERN”. 

Man darf auch nicht zu streng sein. Immerhin ist die Schrift auf dem Foto zum Teil verdeckt und der Bildausschnitt sehr klein.

(Markus Winninghoff, André Spiegel, Molinarius)

#Tauffabrik #Jordan #Müll #Kanu #Paddeln #Google Lens #Google Übersetzer #iPhone #Android #Übersetzung #Yardenit #Markus Winninghoff #André Spiegel #Molinarius #best of

[orbesargentina]

Google Lens es una aplicación móvil de reconocimiento de imágenes desarrollada por Google. Anunciado por primera vez en Google I/O 2017, está diseñado para mostrar información relevante mediante análisis visual. Esta poderosa herramienta utiliza la cámara del teléfono para identificar objetos y leer textos, brindando resultados y datos útiles al usuario.

#google lens #GoogleLens orbesargentina orbes_argentina orbes_ar OrbesArgentina_moviles OrbesArgentina_imagenes orbesargentina_telefono Android Caracterí

[raspberryconverse]

Happy Birthday!

Thank you! We couldn't find whatever this was on the placard and Google Lens thought it might be some sort of fiber

#anemone #shedd aquarium #fiber #google lens #birthday #it's my birthday

[jdyf333]

Organic Repair by Davivid Rose Via Flickr: duct tape on glass, 2023 ("Google Lens" indicates that it strongly thinks that this may be a picture of bamboo!) A randomly-edited selection of approximately 700 of my pictures may be viewed by clicking on the link below: www.flickr.com/groups/psychedelicart/pool/43237970@N00/ Please click here to read my "autobiography": thewordsofjdyf333.blogspot.com/ And my Flicker "profile" page may be viewed by clicking on this link: www.flickr.com/people/jdyf333/ My telephone number is: 510-260-9695

#duct tape on glass #bamboo #organic repair #Google Lens #flickr

[raymond-oglesby]

How to Reverse Image Search With Google Images

Google Image Search is a great way to find images similar to one you already have or to help you track down the original source of a photo.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2October 10, 2023 This is for devices using Google. Screenshots are from Windows 10 Google Image Search is a great way to find images similar to one you already have or to help you track down the original source of a photo. Let’s find out how to do a reverse image search. Search For an Image From a Website If you would like to search for an image that appears on…

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#Android #Google #Google Images #Google Lens #iPad #iPhone #iPhone/iPad #Mac #PC