Tools for Environmental Monitoring: Mobile Data Collection & ODK

Christiaan Adams, Tanya Birch

Field Data Collection with Open Data Kit

Google confidential | Do not distribute

Collect data

on the ground

Upload data

to the cloud

Map data

and share your map

Location Data

about your location...to your location...from your location

Link to Video

Create forms

Submit Data to Maps Engine

Analyze Data

Validate

Collect Data

Publish Maps

Create forms with ODK Build

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Near realtime data collection

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Create forms with ODK Build

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ODK Collect

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Free download from Google Play

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Android 1.6 – 4.4+

www.opendatakit.org

ODK Collect

Latest builds available on

code.google.com/p/opendatakit

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Forms can be visual

Android Language Support

Several options for Data Storage

• Google Maps Engine (today’s demo)
• ODK Aggregate on AppEngine or AWS
• Export as CSV/XLS
• Stream to Fusion Tables, Google Spreadsheets & Google Maps Engine
• incurs AppEngine charges
• Formhub.org (now has an API also)
• free
• store, export & make a simple map
• Local Server (e.g. Apache / Tomcat…)

Data Storage

Use Aggregate if you:

• need to export as csv/xls/kml
• want to sync to Google Spreadsheets, Fusion Tables and Maps Engine
• don’t have concerns about storing data privately online

ODK Aggregate

Google AppEngine

ODK Aggregate

Sync to Spreadsheets, GME, Fusion Tables

Export: csv

kml

xls

Google Maps�Engine

Google confidential | Do not distribute

Your own map data accessible online & offline across platforms

Upload field data to Maps Engine

Google Maps Engine Mobile

:: Visualize your GME maps over a connection

:: Raster & Vector (rasterized)

:: Google Maps basemaps

:: Blue dot location

:: Offline ...

Field Exercise

Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to document cultural sites around the UVic campus.

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Use ODK Collect and Google Maps Engine Mobile to collect data (public only please!) AND view it instantly on a map.

Field Exercise

Our map

Hands-On Session

1. How to create a form
1. ODK Build
2. XLStoXforms
2. Store your blank forms in Drive
3. Send completed forms to GME

Hands-on: create a form (Simple!)

1. Go to build.opendatakit.org

2. Create an account

3. Rename the form

4. Add desired fields (text, date, numeric, media….)

5. Download the form (File>Export to XML)

6. Upload the form to Google Drive in the IMW2014 folder (make sure you’re signed in to the right account, either geoworkshops, your demo account or your own account.

Hands-on: create a form (using Excel)

1. Go to Training Materials

2. Download the sample Excel form

3. Rename the form with your name

4. Customize it with the sample fields as a guide.

Type: types must follow a syntax

name: underlying value, lower case, - _ ok

label: what the user will see on the phone

5. Upload the form to ODK XLS form

6. Download the new .xml form

7. Upload the form to Google Drive

Getting forms on your phone/tablet

• Get a device: pair up if needed
• Android first-timers?
• Open ODK Collect
• Menu button: General Settings
• Platform: Google Drive, Google Maps Engine
• Select google account geoworkshops@gmail.com

OR your demo account Settings>Accounts>Google

OR your own account if you have a GME account

• Project ID: Outreach Training

Getting forms on your phone/tablet

• Open ODK Collect
• General Settings: Drive, GME
• Select “Get Blank Form”
• enter “[your form name]” in the search bar
• check the box next to the form to download it & hit “Download Selected”
• Success!

Field Exercise (Prep work)

• Hit “Fill Blank Form”
• Select the [your Form Name] form
• Fill out several forms in situ

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COLLECT FIELD DATA AROUND CAMPUS (OFFLINE) AND RETURN TO UPLOAD YOUR DATA TO THE MAP!

Field Exercise & Maps Engine Hands-on

https://mapsengine.google.com/05246071950673775877-11580510228526332856-4/mapview/?authuser=0

ODK Sensors Framework

Near realtime data collection

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ODK Sensors

ODK Zebra Printer Driver

• Hardware: battery life, charging phones, rugged phones are costly, GPS accuracy
• Software: concerns about data security, ownership, programming needed for custom solutions
• Developing best practices
• Training of data collectors
• Rapidly evolving technology - ODK 2.0 coming soon!
• Support issues – how to get help

Near realtime data collection

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Challenges & Things to Know

http://opendatakit.org/help/help-for-hire/

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(we can vouch for Nafundi! :)

Near realtime data collection

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Help for Hire

Thank you!

APPENDIX

Questions?

Geo data underpins everything at Google ... on any platform

Over 1B downloads of Google Earth

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Over 1B users/month of Google Maps

ODK Training of Village Forest Monitors in Kigoma, Tanzania 2009-2012

Effort (yellow) and threats (red) collected by

village forest monitors using ODK

around Gombe National Park

Field Data Collection

• Inexpensive
• Flexible formatting
• Generally available
• Durable
• Low power
• High contrast
• Familiar
• Fun! ☺

Paper: the good

In the Field:

• Data entry errors
• Can’t get wet / not very rugged
• Validation not automatic
• Need extra devices for GPS, images, etc.

�In the Office:

• Needs to be put in electronic format to�be useful
• Data languishes
• Bulky & Slow
• Paper cuts, not fun! ☹

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Paper: the bad...and the Ugly!

Training - on the ground in Tanzania with JGI

Conducted by IDESAM, Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), Metareila (link)

Surui Forest Carbon Project

Google Maps Coordinate

Introducing Google Maps Coordinate

View teams you're part of in real-time

View and Accept Jobs, Add Details

Custom Data Collection

...enables storage of critical data right into Google's cloud

View jobs in Google's Cloud

on coordinate.google.com

Accepting Jobs on Coordinate

On your mobile device...

1. Make sure GPS and Wifi are turned on!
2. Settings > Accounts > Add Account - Add your Guest Account
3. See if Coordinate is already installed. If not, go to step 4.
4. Go to https://coordinate.google.com/static/coordinate.apk
5. You must have "Allow 3rd Party Downloads" in Settings
6. Download Coordinate on to your mobile device�

On your computer....�

1. Log in to coordinate.google.com with your Guest account
2. You've been given Admin / Dispatcher / Worker access
3. Practice creating a job and assigning it to the person sitting to your right��Sample Job: Please get me a cup of coffee +with cream +with sugar +with cream and sugar�Add optional notes fields that will be recorded in the job history��Assign it to the guest account of the person sitting next to you!