Presented by Chris Higgins at the Co-Design Workshop, Machynlleth, 16 October 2014. Half-way through a 4-year project to enable "citizen scientists" to use smartphones to upload crucial scientific data, this presentation shows the current state of progress on the COBWEB project.

1. COBWEB – where we are at
Co-Design Workshop,
Machynlleth.
16th October, 2014
Chris Higgins,
Project Coordinator: EDINA, University of Edinburgh
chris.higgins@ed.ac.uk

3. Big Picture
• Explosion in availability of smartphones and
tablets equals great potential for “citizens as
sensors”
• How to make the data gathered usable?
• What quality measures are needed?
• How to reduce uncertainty?
• How can crowdsourced environmental data aid
decision making?
• How can our crowdsourced data be fused with
reference data and be deployed in standards
based Spatial Data Infrastructures?

4. Essential context – WNBR
• UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programmes
World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)
• Sites of excellence to foster harmonious integration of
people and nature for sustainable development
through participation, knowledge sharing, poverty
reduction and human well-being improvements,
cultural values and society's ability to cope with
change, thus contributing to the Millennium
Development Goals
• 610 reserves in 117 countries

5. COBWEB Biosphere Reserves
UK (Wales): Biosffer Dyfi
– Development work
concentrated here
• Germany: Wadden See and Hallig Islands
• Greece: Mount Olympus & Gorge of Samaria
• Left open possibility of expansion to further BRs,
eg, Urdabai

6. Dyfi Biosphere Vision Statement
“The Dyfi Biosphere will be recognised and
respected internationally, nationally and
locally for the diversity of its natural beauty,
heritage and wildlife, and for its people’s
efforts to make a positive contribution to a
more sustainable world. It will be a self
confident, healthy, caring and bilingual
community, supported by a strong locally-based
economy.”

7. Overall Project Status
1. Project started 1st Nov, 2012 and runs for
4 years
• Currently at Month 24 of 48
2. An “SME Targeted Collaborative” project
• 30% EU contribution to SMEs
3. Develop 'citizens' observatories’
• Mobilise citizens
• Emphasised during Grant Negotiation
• “Co-design” fund established
4. A research project doing innovative work
• Crowdsourced environmental data to aid decision
making

8. Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)
TRL
1 Basic principles observed and reported
2 Technology concept and/or application formulated
3 Active R&D initiated
Experimental proof of concept
4 Technology validation within a laboratory environment
5 Technology validation in relevant environment
6 Demonstration in a relevant environment
7 Demonstration in an operational environment
8 Actual system completed and qualified through test and
demonstration
9 Actual system proven through successful mission
operations

9. Overall Project Status
Mainly
medium to
high TRLs
Requires
high TRLs
By definition,
lower TRLs
1. Project started 1st Nov, 2012 and runs for
4 years
• Currently at Month 24 of 48
2. An “SME Targeted Collaborative” project
• 30% EU contribution to SMEs
3. Develop 'citizens' observatories’
• Mobilise citizens
• Emphasised during Grant Negotiation
• “Co-design” fund established
4. A research project doing innovative work
• Crowdsourced environmental data to aid decision
making

10. Balancing Act
• Validating our concept of Citizen
Observatory
• Testing the software
• But, research and development
continues in parallel
• However, we do recognise some components
need to be of higher TRL
• But, this is a research and development project
– Don’t have all the answers
– Don’t know exactly where we are going to end up

11. Co-Design
“…a product, service, or organization
development process where design
professionals empower, encourage,
and guide users to develop solutions
for themselves.” Wikipedia

12. Objectives & Scope for the sub-projects
1. Engage in dialogue with members of the
COBWEB consortium to assist in the
design of apps, and to assist in identifying
further user requirements.
2. Use the generic COBWEB apps to
address specific needs within your project
or area of expertise, and advise us on
adaptations to these apps
3. Arrange and manage groups of citizens in
field testing COBWEB app(s) in the Dyfi
Biosphere area

13. Some key dates
Date(s) What Notes
16th Oct, 2014 “Kickoff” meeting
Nov 2014 Conclude negotiation
and sign contracts
Dec 2014 1st release COBWEB
platform
Technical team
VERY busy
Nov/Dec 2014
onwards
Start helping with
testing software
Feb 2015 - Start training with
software and
engaging citizens
Sept 2015 Conclude and report

14. Some Objectives for this workshop
• Make sure you all know each other
• Provide information, take questions, discuss
• Dialogue between sub-projects to see if further
synergies can be identified
• Dialogue between sub-projects and COBWEB
team to refine progressing our agenda
• Dialogue between sub-projects and COBWEB
team to identify additional ways of progressing
our agenda

15. Programme Management
• Administration: Wendy MacAdie
• Overall activity: Andy Rowland
• Steering Committee: Representatives from all local
organisations and Edinburgh
• Review Committee: Same as above with additional
representation including Nottingham University and
University College Dublin
• Champions appointed to act as the main point of contact
for the sub-project with COBWEB and to represent the
interests of the sub-project within the consortium, making
sure the right contacts are made when necessary.

16. COBWEB “Champions”
Lead Organisation Project Name Champion
Awdurdod Parc
Arolwg Llysiau’r Dial Eryri –
Cenedlaethol Eryri /
Snowdonia Japanese
Snowdonia National
Knotweed Survey
Park Authority
Penparcau Community
Forum – Forwm
Cymunedol Penparcau
W.O.O.D – Wildlife on our
Doorstep
Cardigan Bay Marine
Wildlife Group
Mapping Marine Megafauna
Coetiroedd Dyfi
Woodlands
Citizen Science in Action
The Outward Bound
Trust
OBBSURV – Outward Bound
Biosphere Survey
RSPB Ynys-hir Surveying Habitat Reversion
at RSPB Ynys-hir
Ysgol Bro Hyddgen Community and school
engagement into COBWEB
and using the COBWEB app
Colin
Chapman
Stephanie
Ties
Barry
Evans
Andy
Rowland
Crona
Hodges
Barry
Evans
Peter
O’Hare

17. Schedule
Start Nov 2014
Nov/Dec 2014- Initial Training/Walkthrough
Some initial user feedback: User Experience and Interface
Feb 2014- Full Training & Software Development
Mar-Aug 2014- Field Testing
Scheduling of devices will need management.
Sep 2014 – Final Report