Here's one possibility that I have not fully tested myself. If the volunteers have access to an iPad or and iPhone, they can download Google Earth mobile from the iTunes app page. Then, with the built-in GPS in the device, they should be able to annotate the places of interest. Here's the support page at Google Mobile, and different links for each device http://support.google.com/mobile/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=15923 Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Schmidt Ocean Institute Postdoctoral FellowOcean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) 1420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA Tel (772) 467-1600http://www.teamorca.orghttp://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres
> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:37:32 -0500 > From: [email protected] > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Using tablet computers to collect field survey data? > To: [email protected] > > Hello, > > I have a question that I hope will be of general interest about using > tablet/ipad devices to gather field data preferably in a GIS framework. Do > the experts on this list have recommendations concerning both hardware and > software/apps suitable for field surveys? > > Background: I know some GIS but nothing about field data collection and I am > trying to help out a citizen science project that collects weekly data, > recording the location of singing male song birds. This means there isn’t > unlimited funding for the project, so the cheaper the better! Ideally the > data would be entered onto a map on the device in the field that can then be > easily imported into a GIS program. They don’t need a precise lat/long (GPS) > as they have to estimate where the male is singing from, so a georeferenced > map is sufficient. The information is currently collected on a paper map of > the survey area using abbreviations for each species each singing male is > then marked on the plan. This is repeated each week with the volunteer then > having to collate this data at the end of season providing a summary map for > each species within each habitat type. Obviously switching to a GIS approach > would help enormously with the analyses and the amount of time spent > summarizing the results at the end of the season. > > Thanks - I look forward to reading your suggestions, > Sam > > > --------------------------------------- > S.A. Price, Ph.D. > Dept. Evolution & Ecology > 1 Shields Ave, > UC Davis > Davis, CA 95616 > USA > Email: [email protected] > Website: www.evovert.com > ---------------------------------------
