THE CONCEPT
This interactive information visualization platform (called BIRDS) unifies disparate ecological datasets to provide real-time, location-specific insights into avian populations across the Netherlands. Birdwatching enthusiasts can seamlessly navigate high-fidelity maps to identify local species or access tailored strategies for environmental coexistence and deterrence.
THE ENGINEERING
The system architecture centers on a high-performance Android mobile application built with Java and the Android Studio development environment. To solve the challenge of fragmented data, the application integrates the eBird API to fetch live occurrence data from the previous 30 days and the Google Maps SDK for precise spatial visualization.
The engine processes complex queries through a custom-built filtering system that allows users to identify species via morphological descriptors, such as plumage color and beak shape. For performance optimization and offline reliability, a comprehensive dataset of over 1,000 species was converted from the Nuthatch API into a local JSON structure, significantly reducing external latency and API request overhead. The UI was engineered with a “three-click” accessibility standard, ensuring complex scientific data is retrievable within 60 seconds of interaction. Additionally, I implemented accessibility-focused logic that includes color-coded labels for colorblind accessibility and a curated resources bridge for seamless external content integration.
TECH STACK
Languages: Java, JSON
Environment: Android Studio
APIs & SDKs: eBird API 2.0, Google Maps Platform, Nuthatch API
Design & Prototyping: Figma, Streamline Icons
Testing Frameworks: System Usability Scale (SUS) Evaluation