REPURPOSING GEOSCIENTIFIC DATA FOR MOBILE USE WITH ROCKD

Rockd, a mobile application for iOS and Android, is designed to leverage location-aware internet devices for the purpose of discovering and documenting geological data and information while in the field. By combining a number of open access geoscientific resources (i.e., Macrostrat, GeoDeepDive, GPlates, Paleobiology Database, and Mindat), Rockd pushes basic geological information to users anywhere on Earth, with local precision and accuracy varying regionally based on data availability. By summarizing location-specific data and information and distributing it to users in an interactive application that functions on- and offline, new field observations made by the nearly 10,000 registered users of Rockd can be contextualized and explicitly related to existing databases. All user-contributed photos and descriptions can be shared with any other internet-connected user via URLs that are created for all user-contributed data. By succinctly compiling and summarizing information from many different sources, Rockd allows users to focus on making new observations that can improve accuracy and completeness of local information, while unregistered App users gain insights into their geological surroundings without needing to be immersed in the intricacies of multiple databases. Participation in Rockd is enhanced by adhering to design principles that focus on user experience and by including gaming-like elements of interactivity. From an informatics point of view, Rockd provides a vehicle to generate large numbers of geological field-contextualized images and descriptions, opening up the possibility of applying data science approaches to outcrop location and characterization.