PrakritiNaam: Connecting Local Nature Names with Open-Source AI

Two open-source AI projects were submitted for the Hacktoberfest Open-Source AI Challenge. PrakritiNaam connects local-language names for plants and birds in Marathi and Hindi with scientific taxonomy to preserve community knowledge. Simultaneously, Nature Explorer AI is a full-stack web application designed to combat digital screen fatigue. It encourages outdoor exploration by using open-weight vision models to identify species of birds, insects, and wildflowers through photographs taken in parks, forests, or backyards.