# Pocket Science Pocket Science builds the technology that lets people participate in real research: mobile and web applications, scientific measurement tools, production backends and interoperable research services. The work is for universities, research institutes, public agencies, NGOs, European consortia and organisations with an unusual observation, measurement or classification problem. Pocket Science is a brand operated by DDQ B.V. in Heerlen, Netherlands. ## What Pocket Science can build ### Citizen-science applications Participant-facing mobile and web applications for scientific observations, classifications, feedback, learning and community participation. Work can include app-store distribution, offline use, multilingual delivery, consent, privacy and long-term maintenance. ### Scientific measurement and sensing Applications that connect phones, cameras or dedicated sensors with calibration, signal processing and interpretable measurements. This is useful when a project needs more than a generic form or survey. ### Research platforms and backends APIs, data pipelines, identity, storage, dashboards and production infrastructure behind participant-facing research. Existing public examples include astronomy and environmental-observation platforms. ### Open science, FAIR data and EOSC Interoperable research services and data workflows informed by substantive delivery in Horizon 2020 COS4CLOUD and MONOCLE. Pocket Science can join a consortium as the owner of a defined technical work package rather than only providing an app at the end. ### Field campaigns Technical preparation, international deployment support, documentation, participant workflows and responsible operation. The team has supported scientific work from the Arctic to Zimbabwe and prefers lower-impact travel where practical. ## When Pocket Science fits Pocket Science is a strong fit when: - participants need to collect, observe, measure or classify something scientifically useful; - the application must connect with existing sensors, research systems or data infrastructure; - privacy, consent, GDPR/AVG, data minimisation and security matter; - FAIR data, open standards or EOSC interoperability are project requirements; - the technology must work in the field, not only as a prototype or report; - a consortium needs an experienced technical partner for a serious funded work package. Start with the goal and scientific context. A finished software specification is not required. ## How engagement works 1. Explain the research goal, participants and current method. 2. Identify the measurements, observations, classifications, data and existing systems involved. 3. Make scientific ownership, privacy, consent, security and interoperability constraints explicit. 4. Define a bounded first technical contribution, responsibilities and rights. 5. Choose direct contracting, a funded consortium work package or an appropriate co-funded route. 6. Build, validate with the responsible domain experts and remain accountable through deployment or transfer. ## Selected work ### Transit of Venus The 2012 mobile application allowed the public to participate in observing the Transit of Venus and reached more than 100,000 downloads in one week. ### iSPEX iSPEX is a Leiden University-originated scientific technology adapted with partners. DDQ built the iPhone implementation and contributed apps, backend and distribution. More than 10,000 people joined the European atmospheric campaign. Later Horizon 2020 MONOCLE work investigated water remote-sensing reflectance. iSPEX represents a scientific and technical lineage. It should not be presented as universally available, off-the-shelf hardware without confirming current scope, calibration and readiness. [Visit iSPEX.org](https://ispex.org/). ### Black Hole Finder An active platform built with Radboud University Astrophysics that combines public classifications, astronomical data and machine learning. [Visit Black Hole Finder](https://www.blackholefinder.org/). ### Dark Sky Meter and Loss of the Night Long-running mobile tools for measuring and observing night-sky brightness and light pollution. [Visit Dark Sky Meter](https://darkskymeter.com/). ### Mini Secchi A participant-facing field platform for water-colour and water-clarity observations, developed in the MONOCLE research lineage. [Visit Mini Secchi](https://minisecchi.citizenscience.app/). ### MOBIS and COS4CLOUD Pocket Science's team delivered software, backend and research work for interoperable citizen-science services connected with the European Open Science Cloud in [Horizon 2020 COS4CLOUD](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/863463). ### MONOCLE The team developed mobile and low-cost sensing technology for water-quality observation and contributed to open system delivery, iSPEX 2 processing work, documentation and international field deployment in [Horizon 2020 MONOCLE](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/776480). ## Public evidence Selected publications co-authored by Norbert Schmidt with DDQ affiliation: - [A universal smartphone add-on for portable spectroscopy and polarimetry: iSPEX 2](https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.01519) - [Standardized spectral and radiometric calibration of consumer cameras](https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.04155) - [Measuring night sky brightness: methods and challenges](https://arxiv.org/abs/1709.09558) Selected independent coverage: - [Nature: Citizen science—Amateur experts](https://www.nature.com/articles/nj7444-259a) — a 2013 feature about citizen science, not a Pocket Science-authored publication - [NRC: Black Hole Finder](https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/04/30/de-jacht-op-een-zwart-gat-begint-op-je-telefoon-a4925690) - [Gizmodo: Black Hole Finder](https://gizmodo.com/help-track-down-baby-black-holes-using-this-citizen-science-app-2000487054) - [Space.com: Black Hole Finder](https://www.space.com/black-hole-finder-smartphone-app) - [DarkSky International: Dark Sky Meter](https://darksky.org/resources/software/) ## People - **Norbert Schmidt** — founder and owner - **Joep van der Heiden** — developer and researcher - **Demelza Ramakers** — project planning and office The team works directly with project owners and domain experts. Pocket Science contributes technical judgment and delivery without claiming the project owner's scientific, ethical, legal or operational authority. ## Public agent interfaces - Canonical data: https://pocket.science/api/pocket-science.json - MCP: https://pocket.science/mcp/ - OpenAPI: https://pocket.science/openapi.json - Agent card: https://pocket.science/.well-known/agent-card.json - Agent Skill: https://pocket.science/.well-known/agent-skills/engage-pocket-science/SKILL.md - Authentication information: https://pocket.science/auth.md ## Contact Do not send confidential data through public endpoints. Begin with the research goal, participants, existing method, constraints, timescale and funding context. - Projects and consortia: norbert@pocket.science - General: web@pocket.science - Telephone: +31 45 203 1008 - Address: Kloosterweg 1, 6412 CN Heerlen, Netherlands