We talked to Eduardo Blasco and Ramón Palacios, computer scientists at ETSEAMN and creators of the “MedusApp” application.
- Good morning, first of all we would like to get to know you better so we ask you to introduce your colleagues, who are Eduardo Blasco and Ramón Palacios?
Eduardo Blasco (E.B)We are two computer scientists, passionate about technology, who as part of the continuous training process that is required in the IT field, andafter having participated in several “agronomical” app projectsby our dear ex-colleague Rafa Laborda with a very good reception, we devised this new project, which has become our spearhead for testing any kind of IT novelty, such as AI applied to image recognition..
We provide IT support to all school staff, we also manage the classrooms and the network and multimedia infrastructure in all ETSEAMN buildings.
- What activities do you develop at the school?
Ramon Palacios (R.P)We are the only two computer operators at ETSEAMN. Along with the rest of our colleagues,we provide computer support to all school personnelWe are also involved in the development of the company’s programs, both PAS and PDI, as well as the student body. We also take care ofmanage the classrooms and the network and multimedia infrastructure in all ETSEAMN buildings. (and as we sayhumor in our guild,almost anything with wires).
MedusAPP started as a tool to help marine biologists to send them information where jellyfish are sighted, and has ended up being a kind of Swiss Army Knife for jellyfish with many utilities.
- You have recently participated in the UPV Inventions Fair with your app MedusApp, what does the application consist of?
R.P:It is an application that implements the paradigms of citizen science. It started as a tool to help marine biologists to send them information about every corner of our coastline where jellyfish are sighted,to determine the spatio-temporal distribution of the different species in order toand has ended up being a kind of Swiss Army Knife for jellyfish, with many utilities.
- What are its main utilities?
E.B: On the one hand,not only users report their sightings -or lack thereof-.but are also alerted if they move through areas where someone recently reported them, information is also always available on a map, with the possibility of filtering by dates and species.
“We intend MedusAPP to be an informative and awareness-raising tool for the marine environment, as the app also allows you to report the presence of plastics.”
Alsohas a jellyfish guide and a first aid guide in case of a sting. Y in such a case they can also report the photo of the sting which is sent directly to a team of medical researchers in the field of allergies.
R.PWe also try to ensure thatbe an informative and awareness-raising tool for the marine environment, The app also allows you to report the presence of plastics, spills, logs and many other undesirable elements.
E.B: Since last year we have included a feature that had been on our minds for some time,that of automatic species recognition by neural networksThe jellyfish is automatically identified, so before sending their sighting, people can automatically know which jellyfish it is, which greatly enriches their experience.
The current version of the learning model needed 2000 jellyfish pictures to train the machine, and this year we have more than 6000 waiting for the next version, which will make it more accurate.
“When I wanted to report a jellyfish thatI saw stranded on the beach the process was cumbersome and unreliable, so I thought how easy it would be for the user to use an app.”
- How did the idea of carrying out this project come up?
E.BA few years ago, science asked for citizen collaboration so that we could be its “eyes” where it could not reach through specific campaigns.The magazine“Very Interesting.” echoed that call and when I wanted to report one that I saw stranded on the beach the process was cumbersome and unreliable..
I thought how easy it would be for the user to use an app, and how convenient it would be to automatically register them in a database to later extract the statistical data of interest.
- Currently, what is your biggest challenge at a personal or professional level?
R.P: Computer science and information technologies in general, are one of the disciplines where the most and fastest changes are taking place.. Keeping up to date on at least a significant portion of the new developments that occur on a daily basis, is a major challenge at both levels.
- Going into a more personal and relaxed side, do you have a motto or phrase?to serve as inspiration?
R.P:“Ideas don’t last long. You have to do something with them.” -Santiago Ramón y Cajal
E.B: “If you are working on something you really care about, no one has to push you: your vision pushes you.” -Steve Jobs
- Will Elon Musk kill Twitter or will the opposite happen?
E.B:We are not regular users of Twitter, it is a network that has many advantages but is full of distortions, especially in terms of free opinions fromtrolls yhaters. We understand that an artificial polarization is taking place that is not natural for human beings.What is possible is that Elon Musk will end this world as we knew it.
- If Twitter disappears, will you switch to Mastodon?
R.P: We did not use the first one, the same for the second one.
- Pizza, with or without pineapple?
R.P:Better not to raise blisters in these times of a super-polarized society. This is on a par with the potato omelet with or without onions. In any case, we love new experiences.
The FAO proposes to develop food based on jellyfish, so we leave the baton in our school.
E.B: We are not picky about it.What would make us happy is if our colleagues from the Food Science and Technology branch managed to legalize a pizza (or any other dish) that included not pineapple, but jellyfish, giving value to a product so abundant in our seas.. As far as we know, jellyfish cannot be legally marketed fresh in the EU as it is a product that is not part of the continent’s food culture.But it can be obtained dehydrated or salted, imported from Asia.The FAO proposes to develop food based on jellyfish, so we leave the baton in our school.
- In winter, socks to sleep in?
R.PWhenever I need them, they will either be eye-catching or they won’t be. It’s a rule I’ve always applied to myself.
- Vacations, sea or mountain?
E.B: Obviously we are always looking for the sea, trying to perfect our favorite invention (laughs). Although the perfect place is where our colleagues from the UA have their Scientific Station located: the Montgó, in Dénia. In a few kilometers we have both: sea and mountain.
- Finally, coffee, black or with milk?
E.B:There we agree: where there is a goodcremaet…
R.P: Yes,with acreamet we agree.