Bugs Matter vs DSPCA Virtual Tour

The number of insects has been falling at an alarming rate for many years. It's no exaggeration to say that unless something is done to halt the decline, our own future could be at risk. Patterns and trends in insect numbers are nuanced, however, and we still don't have that much information on the relative rate of decline over time, and there are too few studies looking at this problem. The Bugs Matter app is an application that enables you to get involved in this critical biodiversity monitoring. Splatted insects are an unfortunate by-product of our habitual use of vehicles, but also presents us with a prime way of monitoring them. With Bugs Matter you can contribute counts of insects and other ‘bugs’, along with the route of the journey you make in a vehicle. You can also provide details about the vehicle used (needed for data analysis) by entering the registration number. This will provide scientists with important new information that will contribute to conservation, evidence, planning, and education. Anyone with a phone and use of a vehicle can get involved with recording insect counts. It is very easy and quick to submit useful data without specialist knowledge. You do not need to be the driver of the vehicle in which you make a journey. Take action for insects and help us to study this important subject!

If you can't visit the DSPCA in person, enjoy this Virtual Tour of their campus in Rathfarnham, Dublin, Meet the many different types of animals protected within the shelter, as well as the staff who look after them; and then view their extraordinary facilities as they strive to improve the plight of animals throughout Ireland. The DSPCA, ‘Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals', is Ireland’s oldest and largest animal charity. We re-home over 2,500 animals every year, but there’s so much more to tell - we’ve 500 volunteers and foster families to help all kinds of animals. Our Inspectors respond to thousands of calls annually, and our Education programmes reach 150,000 people. We also collaborate with UCD on Veterinary Training, while our Mobile Clinics assist those less fortunate. This Virtual Tour is presented using AR Portals, an emerging technology that combines Augmented Reality, 360 Video and GPS location technologies. When you open an AR Portal, simply pass your phone through the circle that appears on the device’s screen - your tour will then begin. Once inside, walk around and rotate your phone to see the many facets of the important work undertaken by the DSPCA. So enjoy this tour, or visit ‘www.dspca.xn--ie-o2t, and help end animal cruelty. ABOUT AR PORTALS: From Virtual Tours and Fashion Shows, to Education or scenes from a Theatrical Performance, AR Portals transport the user to themed digital experiences that can be seen and enjoyed within any location. 360 Video or Animated Digital Content can be specifically created, or adapted from existing 360 footage. Host Apps can then contain either individual or multiple Portals, with the featured 360 content being either embedded within the App, or hosted and fed from the Cloud (allowing for easy updating or copy rotation). Other features include a potential GPS 'treasure hunt’ mechanic, allowing for both accurate remote locating of Portals by an Administrator, or direct User Placement, while Social Functionality can also be integrated, making the experience ‘share-able’ within multiple Media channels. Finally, integrated ‘touch’ interactive functionality within the 360 environments allows a User to select and interact with specific items featured within the Portals, further enhancing / amplifying the immersive experience. The service can also link to interoperable databases for GDPR-compliant data-capture when required.