University of Michigan Launches Offline Plant ID App, Drawing Thousands of Downloads
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 13
University of Michigan Launches Offline Plant ID App, Drawing Thousands of Downloads
1 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 13
Summary
Thousands of users have already downloaded the new Michigan Flora app, which lets people identify plants across Michigan without internet access.
The app was built for field use where cell service is unreliable, replacing a hard-to-use mobile web page with an offline phone guide.
Instead of relying on a camera, the app uses a dichotomous key that walks users through paired questions based on their own observations.
Underlined technical terms open definitions, and users who already know a plant’s name can search it for photos, background information and Michigan specimen maps.