A Dutch startup has launched a free app that turns recreational scuba diving into a source of research-grade ocean data. DIVR lets divers log a dive in less than 30 seconds, share photos with dive buddies, and record the species they encounter. Each species sighting is validated against the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and structured using Darwin Core, the international standard for biodiversity data, before being shared with marine research organizations including Coral.org and the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). At launch, the platform covers more than 4,300 marine species and 4,700 dive sites worldwide.
The app is available free on iOS and Android. divr-connect.com
