WTH is that? Find out with ‘Spider Shazam’

With over 2,000 species of spiders down under, it’s about time we had a way of identifying them. 

Picture this, you’ve just stepped into a lovely, warm bath, you’ve lit your scented candles and you’re about to relax back and let all your troubles wash away when suddenly, three tiny hairy legs slowly fold over the side of the tub. That’s right, your relaxing bath has just been interrupted by an unwelcome eight-legged guest.

You don’t have to be an arachnophobe for this scenario to scare you. Especially in Australia, when kids learn early on that you should avoid snakes and spiders just in case they’re the type that can kill you.

But what if the above scenario wasn’t scary? What if, instead of instinctively being afraid of the spider, we could whip out a smartphone, take a picture and identify the spider as friend or foe immediately?

Introducing Australia’s Shazam for snakes and spiders, Critterpedia. The AI-driven app will not only help you identify spiders and snakes but will also educate people on the kinds of spiders and snakes you’re likely to encounter around your immediate area and whether there is a need to take precautions.

Keep your eye on creepy crawlies. Explore our range of mobiles >

They still call Australia home

Australia is home to 2,000 species of spiders and around 170 species of snakes. While that might seem like a terrifyingly large amount, only two types of spiders and 12 species of snakes are venomous enough to kill a human. Unfortunately, this information is not readily available for the general public. So instead of appreciating Australia’s unique wildlife, many tourists, children and migrants react with fear, co-founder Murray Scarce explains to 7News.

Partnering with various snake and spider experts and CSIRO, the team at Critterpedia have built a solid knowledge base for the app. Unfortunately for those still clinging to their old Nokia brick-phones, the app is only available on smartphones (find a list of swish our phones here).

The clever people at CSIRO’s engineering and data research division, Data61, have been tirelessly sifting through thousands of species of spiders that are sometimes so similar, the difference comes down to only a few hairs. Matt Adcock the project lead of Critterpedia and senior scientist at Data61, tells Vice Media:

“We’ve started with an enormous amount of images sourced from zoological experts collaborating with Critterpedia, and have developed a suite of tools to help semi-automatically label these images, verify the information, and cross-check with other data sources.”

As more and more people download and contribute photos to the app the better the machine learning engine will be able to accurately identify species.

“The intent is to form (consensual) user-generated images into datasets of all animals and to extend our AI training with the team to eventually include many more species,” Nic Scarce tells Vice Media.

VR to avoid the ER

Critterpedia is also planning on adding some educational augmented and virtual reality features to the app and some much needed first aid advice just in case you find yourself in trouble.

The breakthrough app is a fun and educational way for the whole family to learn about some of Australia’s most famous spiders and snakes (perfect for a Family plan).

Murray explains to Vice Media:

“Critterpedia can create a world where people of all ages, backgrounds and status can appreciate and respect our environment, and where we and animals can peacefully coexist.”

So, the next time you’re in a bath relaxing and you see those hairy little legs scuttle across the tub, reach for your phone and spider-shazam that Incy Wincy so you can rest easy knowing you’re safe from harm.

If you’re after a phone so you can use apps like Critterpedia, check out the latest devices on our amazing data SIM plans.   

Need a plan for the whole family? Discover our family plans, so everyone from Nan to little sister can learn about snakes and spiders together.

Not sold on spiders and snakes? Check out some of our awesome apps here.