DOST-ASTI develops photo-sharing mobile app that senses the world around you

Scientists and developers from the Department of Science and Technology – Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) have created an application that would help data scientists collect data that can be used for meaningful research.

Features of the newly-developed app were shared via a live webinar in celebration of the National Science and Technology Week with its theme, “Agham at Teknolohiya: Tugon sa Hamon ng Panahon”.

According to Project Leader Roxanne Aviñante, the mobile and web application, called Kooha, is coined from the Filipino word “kuha” which means to take or to capture. Photos captured and shared via Kooha are embedded with data (sound level, light, motion acceleration, gravity, pressure, etc.) collected through built-in phone sensors on the user’s device.

Aviñante pointed out that while there are photo-sharing apps in the market, Kooha aims to answer the pain points data scientists have when it comes to data generation and collection for research and development. This includes insufficient data availability, costly gadgets for data area sensory, and a lack of infrastructure for big data analytics. Crowdsourcing different sensors such as luminance, pressure, gravity, etc. from contributors can help scientists and researchers generate relevant insights. These insights can be used to create new knowledge and technologies in various sectors.

Addressing data privacy issues, DOST-ASTI and Kooha ensure the safety of these data to be used for legal and research purposes only.

The Kooha application is now available for download on Google Play Store. Live data from the Koohascape can also be viewed on the Kooha website.