What app is used to identify something?

Numerous apps leverage modern computer vision, machine learning, and AI to “identify something” from a photo or live camera feed—ranging from plant and animal recognition to product lookup and landmark identification. Below is a curated list of popular, domain-specialized apps and a general framework for choosing the right one:

1. General Object & Visual Search Apps.
• Google Lens (iOS, Android).
• Capabilities: Identify objects (e.g., furniture, electronics), translate text in real time, scan barcodes, find similar products.
• How It Works: Uses Google’s massive image database and neural networks. You simply open the app or use the Lens integration in Google Photos/Chrome, point your camera at the object/text, and Lens returns relevant results.
• Use Cases: “What breed of dog is this?” “What is this building called?” “Find where to buy these shoes.”
• Microsoft Bing Visual Search (Windows, Web, iOS, Android).
• Capabilities: Recognizes objects, scenes, landmarks, and allows “shopping searches” for clothing or home décor. Bing segments images into distinct elements to refine queries (e.g., click on the shirt in a photo to find that specific shirt).
• Integration: Built into Microsoft Edge as “Visual Search” or available at bing.com/visualsearch.
2. Specialized Identification Apps.
• Plant Identification:
• PlantSnap (iOS, Android). Over 600,000 plant species in its database. Take or upload a photo of a leaf, flower, or tree, and PlantSnap returns species names, common traits, and care instructions.
• iNaturalist (iOS, Android). Collaborative platform—after you upload a photo, the community of botany enthusiasts and AI tools suggest identifications; great for rare or regionally specific flora.
• Animal & Bird Identification:
• Seek by iNaturalist (iOS, Android). Oriented toward children and families—point your camera at an animal/bird and Seek uses computer vision to identify species in seconds, displaying badges for your wildlife “collections.”
• Merlin Bird ID (Cornell Lab, iOS, Android). Specifically for birds—enter a photo or answer a few questions (size, color, location) and Merlin suggests likely species.
• Food & Nutrition Identification:
• CalorieMama (iOS, Android). Photograph your meal, and the AI estimates calories, macronutrients, and portion sizes. Useful for tracking food intake.
• Pic2Recipe (Research App). Developed by MIT, it analyzes a food photo and attempts to infer the recipe (ingredients, likely dish).
• Landmark & Place Recognition:
• Google Arts & Culture (iOS, Android). Has a “Art Recognizer” feature—point your camera at a famous painting or sculpture in a museum, and it overlays information about the artwork (artist, date, description).
• Street View Safaris (Integrated into Google Maps). Press and hold on any point in Google Street View to identify the landmark name or business at that location.
3. Barcode/QR Code Scanner Apps.
• Native Smartphone Cameras (iOS, Android). Most modern devices can scan QR codes or barcodes natively via the default camera app.
• Dedicated Apps:
• QR & Barcode Scanner (Various App Stores). Provides additional features—view price comparisons, product details, user reviews.
• ShopSavvy (iOS, Android). Scan UPC or EAN barcodes to see price comparisons across retailers, reviews, and stock availability.
4. Specialty “Capture Text & Translate” Apps.
• Google Translate (iOS, Android). Has a “Camera Translate” mode—point at foreign text (menu, sign) to get instant translation. Recognizes 100+ languages in real time.
• Microsoft Translator (iOS, Android). Similar capability—live camera translation and OCR to copy text from an image (e.g., business cards).
5. General-Purpose AI & AR Platforms.
• Snapchat AR Lenses (iOS, Android). Many filters identify objects or add overlays. For instance, scanning a flower might trigger an AR label with the plant’s common name (via partnerships with plant databases).
• Pinterest Lens (iOS, Android). Designed for fashion and home décor—take a photo of an outfit or piece of furniture and Pinterest suggests similar pins, styles, or DIY tutorials.
6. Choosing the Right App: Key Criteria.
• Domain Accuracy: Botanical apps (PlantSnap, iNaturalist) are far more accurate for plants than a generic object recognizer.
• Database Size & Updates: Apps tied to large databases (Google Lens, iNaturalist’s crowdsourced library) yield better coverage.
• Privacy & Offline Use: If you need offline identification (e.g., in remote hiking), choose apps that allow on-device image recognition for certain categories (e.g., offline bird guides).
• Cost & Subscription: Some apps are free with ads (Google Lens, Seek), while specialized apps (PlantSnap Pro) require annual subscriptions for unlimited usage and advanced features.