- Mushroom pickers in the Czech Republic have become very fond of the Mushroom application from Vocom Software
- However, doctors from the General University Hospital warned against its use
- We tested the application directly in the field, so how well does it work in practice?
If there is something that the Czechs excel at among other European nations, it is mushroom picking. According to the agency SC&C up to a third of Czechs report regular mushroom picking; according to data from 2009, even 70% of our country’s inhabitants go mushroom picking at least once a year. It is not so surprising that mobile applications are being created specifically for mushroom pickers. We tried the most popular of them – Mushrooms – and we have to admit that it left us with conflicting feelings.
Czech application Na hoby
The mushroom application is on Apple App Store i Google Play the second most downloaded in the Education ranking, it has already recorded 1 million downloads on the Android platform and has 22,000 mostly positive reviews from users. No similar application in the Czech Republic has achieved such success.
The Prague studio Vocom Software is behind the mushroom application. It is actually their only project of a similar type. The application is free and, due to the targeting of the Czech Republic, supports Czech, as well as Slovak, Russian, Polish, English, French and German. It has no limitation for use only in the Czech Republic, so it can be used by cross-border users not only from neighboring countries.
Mushroom Atlas, he will also advise on the recipe
In addition to free use, it also offers a Premium package, which blocks the display of ads and offers a map of the regions with the most frequent occurrence of mushrooms. For this information, the application uses user data.
Each user then has at his disposal a complete atlas of mushrooms that you can find in the Czech Republic with a wide range of photos and expert descriptions. In addition, it can record your own findings in a diary and advise on what you can cook from the mushrooms you find. This feature was free until recently, but is currently locked to the aforementioned Premium package.
How does mushroom recognition work?
However, the main feature that the developers are promoting is mushroom recognition using your phone’s camera. “However, the greatest specialty of the application is the experimental function for the optical recognition of mushrooms using a neural network,” entice the creators in the description of the application.
Mushroom recognition using the camera Red toadstool (and other notorious mushrooms) the application has no problem recognizing
And we decided to test the exact recognition of mushrooms based on camera data directly in the field. In practice, it works quite amicably and, above all, quickly. All you have to do is bend down to the mushroom, point the camera at it, and retrieve the data without having to pull it out of the ground. Alternatively, you can use it to recognize a photo from the gallery.
After the application evaluates your mushroom as a certain species, you can still confirm the choice, giving the recognition mechanism some feedback. If it really uses artificial intelligence to register mushrooms, as the developers claim, you yourself contribute to the training of the neural network in the background by your decision.
Always at your own risk
The recognition system itself seems quite convincing. For mushroom species that have more or less clear identification marks, the application is not mistaken. He can easily recognize the brown mushroom, boletus, red toadstool or yellow-fleshed mushroom, popularly known as babka.
The problem arises with mushrooms that are strikingly similar to other species. Just a small difference makes an edible and very delicious mushroom violently poisonous and deadly. A typical case – the popular blacksmith mushroom can often be mistaken for a satan or kříštų mushroom, which are inedible mushrooms. If you throw a sponge with this appearance in front of the application, it will not express itself clearly and tell you that it is either “this” or “that”. And now grandma please.
Other shortcomings of the application
- The recognition problem may be partly due to technical shortcomings of the application. She recommends, for example, to correctly identify the type of mushroom take a picture of the whole leg with the hat on. However, with some mushrooms, this is practically impossible, because they are overgrown in the ground and without pulling them out, it is impossible to recognize the mushroom correctly. And an honest mushroom picker doesn’t reach for mushrooms he doesn’t want to take.
- We noticed another shortcoming in the camera interface. Application cannot work with multiple lenses – so it always uses the main one, it does not support zoom or automatic switching to macro mode. This generally makes the detection system harder because if you are too close to the mushroom the camera is out of focus. Remember that identifying some mushrooms really depends on the details.
A similar case can occur with the rosacea toadstool, popularly known as the butcher’s toadstool, which inexperienced mushroom pickers can mistake for the highly poisonous tiger toadstool. At the same time, the application itself clearly warns the user that it is about “experimental function” a “you should never rely on its results”. Anyone who does not know mushrooms by himself – and does not use the application only as a supplement – has no business in the forest.
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Due to insufficient recognition of poisonous mushrooms, experts therefore warn against application. MD Kateřina Kotíková, Ph.D. from the Toxicological Information Center (TIS) of the General Faculty Hospital (VFN) reported that in their hospital alone this year they have issued an antidote, i.e. an effective antidote for the ingestion of poisonous mushrooms, three times this year.
“I certainly cannot recommend the application. One of this year’s cases of confusion with a toadstool green was caused precisely by the use of the application. […] Unfortunately, the apps can’t evaluate it correctly, and their use is more for fun, not for identifying edible mushrooms.” she stated for News Kotíková.
Author of the article
Jakub Fischer
Journalist, fan of modern technology, summer months and Asian food. I like Lynch movies, Pollock paintings, french house and Arsenal football club. In my spare time, I play PlayStation and go jogging.
Ah, mushroom picking in the Czech Republic—a national pastime that has evolved from wholesome family outings to a race between technology and mycology! Let’s dig into this fascinating conundrum, shall we?
Marek’s Mushroom Madness: The Mushroom App Tale
So, we have the Mushroom application from Vocom Software. It’s all the rage among Czech mushroom enthusiasts—because, really, who doesn’t like foraging for one’s dinner? The app is so popular that it’s climbed the download charts faster than I can finish a slice of mushroom pizza. I mean, some might say it’s mushrooming… let’s just focus on the topic at hand!
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Mushroom Aficionados Love It: Up to a third of Czechs are reportedly picking shrooms with glee! Over 1 million downloads and a ton of positive reviews for a piece of digital software that tells you whether your new friend is a food feast or a toxic nightmare? Sign me up! (But, honestly, maybe not—I’d like to keep my liver.)
- Mixed Messages: While users rave about the app’s photo recognition capabilities, there’s a side-eye from medical professionals. Yes, doctors have warned against relying on this app! Dr. Kotíková from the Toxicological Information Center laid it out beautifully: “It’s more for fun than for identifying edible mushrooms.” Well, that sounds comforting!
The Functionality Feast or Famine?
Now, let’s talk about what the app does—or doesn’t do! This app has got an entire atlas of mushrooms! Photos? Check. Expert descriptions? Check. Cooking suggestions? Absolutely! Although, I do wonder how many people have confidently cooked up what they thought was a tasty boletus only to later find out they served up a dish of deadly dinnertime regret.
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Optical Recognition: This feature promises to turn your phone into a mushroom-seeking missile! Very exciting until you realize that determining the difference between a delicious edible and a violently toxic mushroom can sometimes hinge on staring into the abyss where tiny differences lie.
- Slight Snags: Here’s where it gets a bit complicated—turns out it’s better to take a photo of the entire mushroom when it might be partially submerged underground. I suppose nature is not particularly accommodating when it comes to high-tech troubleshooting, is it? “Excuse me, Mr. Mushroom? Could you please present yourself in full for accurate identification? Thanks!”
The Skeptics’ Corner
But despite its initial promise, the app’s shortcomings are as plain as a toadstool in a sunflower field: it can’t adequately identify tricky fungi. Some mushrooms, like the blacksmith mushroom, look awfully similar to their poisonous counterparts. Dr. Kotíková got a point when she basically said that if you can’t tell a tiger toadstool from the edible variety, the app isn’t your savior—it’s more likely to be your worst enemy.
Conclusion: Mushroom or Misfit?
So, dear foragers, here’s the bottom line: while the Mushroom app might have revolutionized the way Czechs forage, remember: just because you’ve got a camera doesn’t make you a mycologist! If you’re on the fence about a mushroom, use your own knowledge first—after all, a quick tap on an app isn’t worth a ride in the back of an ambulance.
In the end, pick wisely, don’t rely solely on your tech, and may your foraging lead you to sautéed mushrooms—not something you’ll later need to Google while clutching your stomach!
Back to you, fellow foragers—now, which variety do you think is worth the risk?
- Mushroom pickers across the picturesque landscapes of the Czech Republic are increasingly embracing the Mushroom application developed by Vocom Software, which has garnered a dedicated user base.
- Yet, medical professionals from the renowned General University Hospital have raised significant concerns regarding reliance on this application for mushroom identification.
- Our team ventured into the woods to rigorously test the application’s effectiveness firsthand; so, how does it truly perform in real-life conditions?
Czech residents have a long-standing tradition and natural flair for mushroom picking, a pastime celebrated across many European nations. According to data from the research agency SC&C, nearly a third of the Czech population regularly participates in this delightful activity; in 2009, it was reported that a remarkable 70% of citizens ventured into the woods to pick mushrooms at least once a year. This vibrant interest has led to the development of mobile applications tailored specifically for mushroom gatherers. In our exploration of the most popular application, simply titled Mushrooms, we found our impressions to be quite mixed.
Czech application Na hoby
The mushroom application is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, where it ranks as the second most downloaded app in the Education category. Impressively, the app has achieved over 1 million downloads on Android and has received approximately 22,000 reviews from users, primarily positive in nature. No other comparable application in the Czech Republic has reached such notable success.
The inventive Prague studio Vocom Software is the mastermind behind this mushroom application, marking it as their sole project of this nature. The application is offered free of charge and caters specifically to the Czech Republic, featuring support for multiple languages including Slovak, Russian, Polish, English, French, and German. It is not restricted to local use, allowing for cross-border mushroom enthusiasts from neighboring countries to benefit from this resource as well.
Mushroom Atlas, he will also advise on the recipe
In addition to free access, the app unveils a Premium package which eliminates advertisements and provides users with a map highlighting regions known for frequent mushroom occurrences, all derived from user data.
Each user has access to a comprehensive atlas of mushrooms endemic to the Czech Republic, featuring an extensive collection of photographs and expert descriptions. Additionally, users can document their personal mushroom findings in a diary while also receiving suggestions on culinary creations based on the mushrooms they discover, although this feature has been locked behind the Premium package recently.
How does mushroom recognition work?
The standout feature being heavily marketed by the developers is the app’s ability to identify mushrooms using the camera on your smartphone. “However, the greatest specialty of the application is the experimental function for the optical recognition of mushrooms using a neural network,” the creators boldly assert in the app’s description.
Our hands-on testing confirmed that the mushroom recognition function operates with commendable speed and efficiency. Users can simply crouch down, point their camera at a mushroom, and retrieve identification data without needing to uproot it. Furthermore, photos from the user’s gallery can also be utilized for identification.
Once the application identifies the photographed mushroom, users are prompted to confirm the identification, providing feedback to refine the recognition algorithm. If the application indeed employs artificial intelligence for mushroom registration as claimed, users are actively contributing to the reinforcement of its neural network with their input.
Always at your own risk
The mushroom recognition system appears to perform quite effectively, especially for species that showcase distinctive identification markers. The application successfully identifies common varieties like the brown mushroom, boletus, and the infamous red toadstool.
However, complications arise when identifying mushrooms that closely resemble other varieties, as even minor distinctions can determine whether a mushroom is harmless or extremely poisonous. A typical example is the often misidentified blacksmith mushroom which can be confused with the dangerous satan or kříštů mushrooms. When faced with such ambiguous specimens, the application may default to vague responses, leaving users with critical uncertainty regarding their findings.
Other shortcomings of the application
- Technical limitations of the application contribute to the recognition challenges. For effective identification, the app recommends that users take a picture of the entire mushroom cap and stem. This proves to be quite impractical with some species integrated into the ground, making accurate identification nearly impossible without excavating them—which an ethical mushroom picker will usually avoid.
- Another flaw in the camera functionality is that the application does not support multiple camera lenses, relying solely on the main lens. This issue complicates detection efforts as getting too close to mushrooms can lead to a lack of focus, particularly when small details are crucial for identification.
Similar identification challenges can arise with the rosacea toadstool, commonly referred to as the butcher’s toadstool, which inexperienced pickers might mistakenly identify as the highly toxic tiger toadstool. The application itself provides a clear warning, indicating that it features an “experimental function” and cautions users that “you should never rely on its results.” Individuals lacking mushroom expertise—and who depend solely on the app—should refrain from foraging in the woods.
Recognizing the potential dangers posed by inadequate identification of poisonous mushrooms, experts urge caution. Dr. Kateřina Kotíková, Ph.D., from the Toxicological Information Center at the General Faculty Hospital, noted that this year alone, their facility has administered antidotes for the ingestion of toxic mushrooms on three occasions.
“I cannot endorse the application. One of this year’s incidents involving a confusion with a green toadstool was precipitated by reliance on the application. […] Unfortunately, these apps lack the capacity for accurate assessment; their intended use is more aligned with recreational purposes and less with serious identification of edible varieties,” Dr. Kotíková emphasized during an interview with News.
