UF Uses Artificial Intelligence To Detect Poison Ivy

Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research Center are using AI to identify poison ivy, which causes rashes on up to 50 million people each year.

Nathan Boyd, researcher and professor of horticultural sciences, led the research alongside post-doctoral researcher Renato Herrig, who designed the mobile app. Designed as a tool for hikers and those working outdoors, the app uses a camera to identify poison ivy in real time and works without an internet connection.

The team collected thousands of images of poison ivy and fed them into AI programs, allowing a computer to learn which plants are poison ivy. They also used images of other plants so the AI system could learn which ones not to identify.

The team is currently working towards commercializing the app.

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