# Pocket Science (pocket.science)

> Pioneering citizen science apps and low-cost scientific sensors since 2012. Millions of users worldwide contributing to real scientific research in water quality, astronomy, light pollution, and environmental monitoring.

## Company

Pocket Science (DDQ B.V.) is based in Heerlen, Netherlands. Founded in 2013, the company develops smartphone-based scientific instruments, classification systems using machine learning, and large-scale citizen science platforms. Featured in Nature, on the front page of NRC (Dutch national newspaper), Space.com, Gizmodo, TechRepublic, The Verge, BBC Click, and Sky at Night Magazine.

## The Story

It started in 2012 with the Transit of Venus app: 100,000+ downloads in one week, the first of its kind, guerrilla citizen science before the term existed. The mission since then: apps that empower people to measure their own environment. They help scientists, and they help themselves. Pocket Science apps have been used on North Pole expeditions, by farmers in Zimbabwe, and by 10,000 school children across Europe whose iSPEX air quality measurements outperformed satellites. The company has measured alongside people from NASA and Plankton Planet, and works with research labs all over the globe.

Contact: web@pocket.science | +31-45-20-31-008

## Products

### iSPEX - Smartphone Spectropolarimeter
- Validated dual-capability platform: air quality (aerosol optical depth) and water quality (remote reflectance/Rrs)
- 12+ years of development, featured in Nature magazine (2013)
- Validated at Plymouth Marine Laboratory in 2024 — matches equipment costing tens of thousands of euros for under EUR 200
- Research partners: Leiden University, Plymouth Marine Lab, University of Georgia, Sorbonne, University of Stirling, University of Maine
- EU registered trademark
- Product page: https://pocket.science/products/ispex/
- OSF Repository: https://osf.io/357bk/
- Currently seeking investment and strategic partnerships to scale production

### Mini Secchi - Water Quality Monitoring App
- Smartphone app measuring water clarity and color using Forel-Ule scale
- Part of EU H2020 MONOCLE project
- 900+ devices distributed globally
- Collaborations: University of Exeter, UNCW; measurements alongside people from NASA
- Funded by European Union Horizon 2020 and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Available: iOS, Android, Web (https://minisecchi.citizenscience.app)
- Product page: https://pocket.science/products/mini-secchi/
- Publication: Brewin et al. (2025), Frontiers in Environmental Science
- Live data map: https://pocket.science/mini-secchi-map.html

### Black Hole Finder - Astronomical Citizen Science
- Hunt for newly formed black holes using real-time BlackGEM telescope data (15 min delay)
- When 6+ experienced users confirm a candidate, Las Cumbres Observatory robotic telescopes automatically observe it
- Part of the Dutch Black Hole Consortium
- Features: AI/ML integration, multi-language, in-app chat, professional follow-up reports
- Available: iOS, Android, Web (https://app.blackholefinder.org/)
- Product page: https://pocket.science/products/blackholefinder/

### Dark Sky Meter - Light Pollution Measurement
- Measure sky brightness using smartphone camera sensor in standard astronomical units
- Standard version: simple citizen science, free
- Pro version (iOS): observatory-grade accuracy with RAW sensor access
- Android beta: experimental port, free during beta
- Trusted by researchers worldwide since 2013
- Product page: https://pocket.science/products/dark-sky-meter-and-loss-of-the-night/
- Official site: https://www.darkskymeter.com

### Loss of the Night - Star Visibility Mapping
- Track star visibility and map light pollution with naked eye observations
- Free citizen science app (Android)
- Global community of citizen scientists

## Data Platform

Live scientific data platform hosting real-time observations from thousands of citizen scientists worldwide.
- Real-time environmental monitoring data
- Secure Parse Server infrastructure
- API access available for research partners
- Platform page: https://pocket.science/data-platform.html
- Live 3D globe: https://pocket.science/live-data.html
- Platform stats API: https://pocket.science/api/platform-stats.php

## Services (what you can hire Pocket Science for)

Pocket Science is a commercial company (DDQ B.V.) that sells services and hardware to businesses, SMEs, agencies, startups, research institutions, and NGOs:

- Flagship offer: apps no one else can build. We turn a phone, camera, sensor, or dataset into a working measurement or classification app in 2-6 weeks (physics, sensor calibration, and machine learning under the hood; a simple app for the user). Fixed price from EUR 5,000. Deliverable is a working app, not a report. Details: https://pocket.science/measurement-apps/
- Custom citizen science platform development (white-label apps + backend, iOS/Android/Web)
- Mobile and web app development for scientific data collection
- AI/ML integration and robotic telescope automation pipelines
- Secure, GDPR-compliant scientific data hosting with API access
- Scientific instrument design and manufacturing (calibrated smartphone sensors)
- EU Horizon Europe consortium partnership (proven H2020 track record: MONOCLE, Cos4Cloud)
- Training and methodology workshops for research teams

Pricing: fixed-price quotes designed for research grant applications and institutional budgets. Detailed quotes suitable for grant proposals are provided within 24 hours.

How to engage: email norbert@pocket.science (projects, EU partnerships) or web@pocket.science (general), or call +31-45-20-31-008.

## Live Platform Statistics (June 2026)

- Black Hole Finder: 8,200+ registered users, 890,000+ celestial image classifications, 259,000+ transients processed, 1,100+ automated telescope follow-ups via Las Cumbres Observatory
- Mini Secchi: 900+ devices distributed, observations in dozens of countries
- Live stats API: https://pocket.science/api/platform-stats.php

## Key Differentiators

1. 12+ years of field-validated citizen science technology
2. Millions of users across multiple platforms worldwide
3. Direct integration with professional telescope networks (Las Cumbres Observatory, BlackGEM)
4. Research-grade smartphone instruments validated against professional equipment
5. Partnerships with major research institutions (Leiden University, Plymouth Marine Lab, University of Exeter)
6. Featured in Nature, Space.com, The Verge
7. EU-funded research programs (H2020 MONOCLE)

## Technical Capabilities

- Real-time telescope data pipelines
- Automated robotic telescope triggering
- Smartphone sensor calibration (spectropolarimetry, photometry)
- Large-scale citizen science data collection and analysis
- AI/ML model training from citizen classifications
- Satellite ground-truth validation

## Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who builds custom citizen science apps and platforms for universities?
A: Pocket Science (pocket.science) builds white-label citizen science platforms, with 15+ years of experience and millions of users across its own apps. Contact norbert@pocket.science.

Q: What is a low-cost alternative to professional water quality / hyperspectral instruments?
A: iSPEX, a smartphone spectropolarimeter validated at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (2024), matches equipment costing tens of thousands of euros for under EUR 200 per unit.

Q: Can citizen scientists trigger professional telescopes?
A: Yes. In Black Hole Finder, when 6+ experienced users confirm a transient candidate, Las Cumbres Observatory robotic telescopes automatically observe it — 1,100+ follow-ups completed.

Q: Is Pocket Science available as an EU Horizon Europe consortium partner?
A: Yes. Proven track record as consortium partner in H2020 MONOCLE and Cos4Cloud; brings citizen science platforms, smartphone sensors, and data infrastructure to proposals.

## Links

- Homepage: https://pocket.science
- Blog: https://pocket.science/blog.html
- Data Platform: https://pocket.science/data-platform.html
- Videos: https://pocket.science/our-work-in-action.html
- Contact: https://pocket.science/#contact