Camera-First Capture

Available Now

This feature is fully implemented in the current version.

The camera is your primary tool in Waterworks. Capture one piece of equipment, check the experimental type suggestion, and save the record.

Overview

How It Works

1. Open the Camera

The Camera tab is the default view when you open the app. You'll see:

• A large capture button (64pt diameter for glove-friendly use)
• Option to select from photo library
• Preview of captured image when available

2. Capture Equipment

Point your device at any water infrastructure:

• Well - Wellheads, casing, associated equipment
• Tank - Storage tanks of any size
• Trough - Livestock drinking stations
• Pump - Water pumps and motors
• Valve - Control valves of any type
• Junction - Pipe connection points

Tap the capture button. The photo is taken with GPS location automatically embedded.

3. AI Classification

After capture, the photo is processed by on-device machine learning:

• Equipment type is identified (well, tank, trough, pump, valve, junction)
• Confidence percentage shows how certain the AI is
• Processing happens locally - no internet required

87% confident: Pump

4. Confirm or Adjust

The confirmation view shows:

• Your captured photo
• AI's suggested type with confidence
• Editable type picker (if AI was wrong)
• Optional name field
• System assignment (if systems exist)

Confirm if the suggestion is right. Adjust it when needed, and always check before saving.

Camera Sources

Waterworks supports two photo sources:

Source	Best For
Camera	In-field documentation of equipment
Photo Library	Adding previously captured photos

Both sources include GPS extraction when available in photo metadata.

Tips for Better Recognition

Good Photos

• Centered subject - Equipment clearly visible in frame
• Good lighting - Avoid harsh shadows or backlight
• Single subject - One piece of equipment per photo
• Close enough - Fill most of the frame

AI Confidence

The confidence percentage indicates recognition quality:

Confidence	Meaning
90%+	A stronger suggestion that still needs checking
70-90%	A moderate suggestion that needs checking
Below 70%	A weak suggestion; manual selection is recommended

Simulator Mode

When running on the iOS Simulator (no camera), the app automatically switches to photo library selection only. This is detected automatically - no configuration needed.

Location Capture

GPS coordinates are captured from:

1. Photo EXIF metadata (if available)
2. Current device location (as fallback)

Elements with valid GPS coordinates appear on the system map. Elements without coordinates (latitude and longitude both 0) are excluded from map views but still visible in the Elements list.

Troubleshooting

Low AI confidence

If the AI shows less than 70% confidence:

1. Check the photo — Is the equipment clearly visible and centered?
2. Retry the capture — Tap the camera button again for a new photo
3. Adjust lighting — Move to avoid harsh shadows or backlight
4. Manual selection — Use the type picker to select the correct type yourself

You can always change the type before saving. Report recurring mistakes through Settings → Send Feedback.

GPS not captured

If an element doesn't show on the map:

1. Check location permissions — Open Settings → Waterworks → Location and ensure it's enabled
2. Wait for GPS lock — In remote areas, GPS can take a moment to acquire
3. Move outdoors — Metal roofs and buildings can block GPS signals
4. Re-capture if needed — Delete the element and capture again with better GPS signal

Photo not appearing

If the captured photo isn't showing:

1. Grant camera permission — Settings → Waterworks → Camera must be enabled
2. Check storage — Ensure your device has free space
3. Restart the app — Close and reopen Waterworks

Next Steps

After capturing an element:

• View it in the Elements tab
• Assign it to a System
• View its location on the Map