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Smartfinch

Smartfinch is an interactive learning platform that uses AI and projects about native birds to teach children and young people about nature, the environment, computer science and acoustics.
Unser erstes Projekt

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This website is still under construction. Some content is incomplete, and errors or display problems may occur from time to time. The site is continuously being expanded and improved.

Where does the project come from?

Section titled “Where does the project come from?”

Smartfinch is a project of the Chemnitz University of Technology, more specifically a doctoral project of the Chair of Media Informatics – and part of the well-known BirdNET project.

The goal: to make science understandable and exciting. Smartfinch builds a bridge between research, citizen science and schools.

Here you will find instructions for projects that are suitable for school classes from 1 to 12 – and also for anyone who is curious about nature, technology and animal sounds. There is also suitable material for teachers to take back to their classrooms.

What is the Smartfinch project?

Section titled “What is the Smartfinch project?”

Smartfinch is an interdisciplinary education and research project that combines modern artificial intelligence (AI) with nature observation. The aim is to inspire children, young people and interested adults to take an interest in the world of native birds – while at the same time teaching them important basics in biology, computer science, acoustics and environmental protection.

The project uses technology from BirdNET, an AI system for automatic bird song recognition. Using small recording devices – such as a Raspberry Pi in a birdhouse – participants can record bird calls in their environment and have them identified by the AI. This provides an exciting approach to questions such as:

  • Which bird species live in my environment?

  • How does their song change over the course of the year?

  • What role do sounds, environmental conditions and habitats play?

In addition to research, Smartfinch focuses on learning and participation: The platform offers child-friendly content, experiments and tutorials on topics such as:

  • Biology & environment: birds as bioindicators, habitat protection

  • Acoustics: how sound works and what a spectrogram shows

  • Computer science & AI: how neural networks recognise bird calls

  • Technology: how to build your own recording stations with simple means

Through this combination of nature, technology and creativity, young people not only learn how AI works, but also how they can use it to help protect the environment.

What is BirdNET?

Section titled “What is BirdNET?”

BirdNET is a joint research project between Chemnitz University of Technology and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the USA. The aim is to use artificial intelligence to automatically recognise bird songs – using a microphone and software, without any special prior knowledge. Whether in the garden, in the forest or in the school playground, the technology makes it possible to identify bird species solely on the basis of their song.

The AI behind BirdNET is not only used in research and many environmental projects, but is also accessible to everyone in the BirdNET app and the BirdNET Pi project.

What is important to us: Open access for all. That’s why we rely on open source, so that as many people as possible can participate, learn and conduct research. BirdNET combines technology, nature conservation and education – and brings the world of birds directly to you.