We value ideas that have the potential for positive impact. After the success of the purpose-led projects we’ve already piloted alongside our client mahi, we thought — imagine what we could achieve with dedicated, ongoing time and resources?

labs.springload.co.nz

At the core of Springlabs is a conscious effort to experiment and invest in a better future. Like the ideas they explore, the Springlabs team isn’t fixed and over time different Springloaders get to contribute and be part of the team. This diversity of thought means the ideas Springlabs generate will reflect all areas of Springload’s specialities.

The Springlabs team:

• researches and explores new tools, technology, and ways of working
  
• takes ‘what if’ questions a step further, bringing impact ideas to life
  
• values progress over perfection
  
• learns from failures, and then share those lessons with you
  
• collaborates and grows their skills beyond their core disciplines.
  

Our previous internal purpose-led projects have paved the way for Springlabs. Some of these projects are still in the works, others may not venture beyond initial explorations, but like all innovative work, they open up opportunities for impactful change.

Simple Trace: a contact tracing solution to help Kiwis fight Covid-19 together

We launched Simple Trace in May 2020, when the country was in Alert Level 3. It’s a free contact tracing service built by Springloaders in their spare time. Simple Trace was released before the official government app and is an example of what can be achieved in 10 days with a bit of ingenuity, a forward-thinking team, and a driving need to help. It was a popular local solution that we discontinued it for the public once the official NZ COVID Tracer app was up and running.

Bin Right: a mobile app to help people recycle

We prototyped Bin Right, a mobile app that makes recycling easy. By pointing your phone camera at your rubbish, Bin Right uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to recognise the image and then tell you how to recycle it properly.

The Sustainability Trust and the Ministry for Environment are both interested in helping us turn this into a fully commercial product. With our complex and changing recycling rules across the country, Bin Right has the potential to make a real impact, making it easy for people to make the right recycling decisions.

Austin Assessment: an iPad app to help kids with Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) understand how their vision works

We worked with Nicola McDowell, a doctoral candidate at Massey University, to develop an app to help children with Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) understand how their vision works. 

Often CVI is misdiagnosed and incorrect medication prescribed, with potentially detrimental effects. Our tool uses the camera in an ipad alongside a special card game app to diagnose this condition.

Project Reef Life: an AI tool to help Scientists uncover why South Taranaki subtidal reefs are so unique

We built an AI-driven solution to help South Taranaki count fish and discover why their subtidal reefs are so unique. At the moment this is a manual process and uses valuable marine scientists’ time to go through video footage frame by frame. Building Project Reef Life was an opportunity for us to experiment and employ AI technologies to automate this process.