Trimble App Helps Users Map Gulf Oil Spill | GPS World

Trimble (Sunnyvale, California) has launched Map the Spill, a free mobile application and website that empowers Gulf Coast residents and the public to report on the oil spill. Map the Spill allows those directly and indirectly affected by the spill to capture and chronicle what they see happening to the land, sea, and wildlife in their areas. Using rich media and GPS technology, citizens can be part of a mass data collection process.

The free app is currently available on Android and BlackBerry mobile phones and will be available soon on the iPhone. Scientists, government agencies, and non-governmental agencies (NGOs) that are taking part in clean-up efforts can use the data and content created and shared by Map the Spill users to assist in their efforts.

Focused on helping to capture the effects and clean-up efforts of the largest oil disaster in U.S. history, Map the Spill allows users to log reports, upload photos, map their locations, and share updates with other users. Mapthespill.org will serve as a content repository as well as a source for the latest news and tweets on the oil spill, Trimble said.

“Map the Spill provides an opportunity for individuals who are being affected by the oil spill to get the word out on the real-time repercussions as well as the collective clean-up efforts,” said Rich Rudow, general manager of Trimble Outdoors. “Map the Spill empowers citizens in a way never done before, so entire communities can be a part of the reporting and clean up. Now individuals in the Gulf Coast can have an opportunity to take part in the oil spill story as it unfolds.”

Map the Spill is collaborating with response teams and non-profit groups — such as the Alabama Coastal Foundation and Mobile Bay Keepers — to ensure the most helpful and relevant data is being collected by the public and volunteers.

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