Frederick University develops app for environmental centre

An interactive application called ‘Explorers of AEEC in Action!’ was recently developed by the Mobile Devices Laboratory (MDL) of Frederick University as a fun tool for exploring the Akrotiri peninsula at the Akrotiri Environmental Education Centre (AEEC) through a treasure hunt game. The application is the result of a collaboration between the MDL of Frederick University, AEEC, the United Kingdom Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and the unit for the education for environment and sustainable development of the education ministry.

The application allows school groups and other visitors of AEEC to navigate the exhibition rooms and the centre’s botanical garden in a fun and interactive way. The users of the application can explore the Akrotiri peninsula, where the Akrotiri salt lake – one of the most important wetlands in the eastern Mediterranean – is situated. Through the app, the users can encounter the habitats, fauna and flora of the Akrotiri peninsula and gain knowledge on environmental and cultural aspects of the area which hosts the earliest known archeological site in Cyprus and Cape Gata, where the monastery of Agios Nicolaos of Cats is situated.

Visitors to AEEC, which opened its doors to the public again on February 8, will be able to use the application on the tablets available at the centre or by downloading it on their smart phones. Explorers of AEEC in Action! includes routes of different duration in the exhibition area of AEEC, the observation kiosk and the botanical garden and is available in both Greek and English.