- Lemu is a biosphere atlas that uses geospatial data sources and ethical AI to help understand the value of the nature-based solutions that our ecosystems generate every day.
- Lemu is the name of the mobile app for Android and iOS, available from January 11, 2022 via private beta for invite-only users.
Lemu, an atlas of the biosphere that aims to reverse environmental crises by making conservation and ecosystem restoration the best investment possible, today announces the launch of its mobile app for iOS and Android.
Three months after announcing the manufacturing of their nanosatellite “Lemu Nge” or “Eye of the Forest” at COP 26 in Glasgow, the startup decides to take a step further towards the ethical use of technology and data, facing the challenge of catalyzing thousands of individual and collective efforts into concrete actions to preserve our planet by safeguarding and restoring the environment.
To this end, they are developing a mobile app that aims to help tackle and reverse environmental crises by bringing the natural world online. Inspired by nature and driven by science, Lemu’s app will focus on forest ecosystems, as they are home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, purify the air, and reduce desertification, implying a critical solution to at least 3 of the environmental crises: biodiversity, climate, and water crisis, which are deteriorating at an alarming rate.
Although the application and its impact are projected on a global scale, for now it focuses on Chile’s forest ecosystems, as it is one of the few “forest positive” countries in the world, where the forest area is growing rather than shrinking, and where some of the few remaining primary forests in the world are concentrated, with large populations of individual trees exceeding 3,000 and even 4,000 years old.
According to Leo Prieto, CEO and founder of Lemu, “This makes Chile an ideal natural laboratory to develop and optimize tools,” such as the Lemu application. “After forests and wetlands, grasslands and other biomes will follow, until we finally reach marine ecosystems, critically important but also the most difficult of all. Eventually we will apply our technology to all biomes,” he says.
The first release of the mobile app for iOS and Android will take place this January 11, 2022, with invitation-only access being shared in user batches to those who have registered on the early access list.
Will have numerous data sources to collect and provide accurate information on ecosystems, their species and related conservation projects.
What users will find in Lemu
The application will be available in English, and will consist of two sections in its first stage of launch: atlas and explore. Through these, users will be able to find information on biodiversity and geo-referenced conservation projects related to each ecosystem.
Based on a layered model, each ecosystem in the atlas will be divided into hexagons, as these allow for better tessellation of the surfaces. “Just at the touch of a button you can visualize the map with information related to, for example, carbon storage, biodiversity, land use types, among other variables” says Karol Henríquez, Product Manager at Lemu.
In addition, it will have numerous data sources to collect and provide accurate information on ecosystems, their species and related conservation projects. As Karol Henríquez explains,
“Much of the data we use for modeling comes from sources such as Aries or Google Earth Engine, but we also have our own sources that help us to better understand specific projects, so we have also been working with LiDAR measurements and environmental DNA analysis. We will even have our own satellite to continue enriching the information displayed in the app.”
While the application will be enabled only for the first registered users in its early access, it is expected to be released to the general public in mid-2022, with more tools such as a personal profile and social network-like features to connect and interact with other enthusiasts, investors, and stewards.
About Lemu
Lemu is an atlas of the biosphere that uses the most advanced technologies available to make conservation the best possible investment. Following a “Space to Soil” strategy that includes everything from satellites to environmental DNA, Lemu uses ethical AI to identify, measure, and understand the value of nature-based solutions to ecosystems.
Its app for iOS and Android will be available starting January 2022 for those users with an invitation and will open to the general public in mid-2022. Visit le.mu for more information.
While the application will be enabled only for the first registered users in its early access, it is expected to be released to the general public in mid-2022.
