This is the kind of inspiration and creativity I love to see. Is it someone chasing a billion dollar valuation…? No. Is it someone looking to take over the world…? No. Is it someone who recognized a problem and then used technology to help create a solution that makes the world a better — and more well informed — place…? Absolutely. Meet TickCheck. (I mean, Tick Track Toe was right there. But I digress…)
Ticks are nasty little buggers. Central Oregon is full of them this time of year. And Central Oregon is also full of full on outdoorsy types this time of year. But they’re not alone when it comes ticks and tick tracking. And that’s why a vibe coded app was born.
I wanted to share a little project that I’ve been working on and get some feedback from the community. I’ve been in Central Oregon for 9 years and only found two ticks during that time. However, this spring alone I’ve found 12 ticks, and my friends have found a lot more than usual as well.
About a week ago I took some friends to a spot with an epic view where I had seen two ticks a week prior. We found multiple ticks in the same location, and it got us thinking… what if we had a place for people to report tick sightings so others could be more informed before going outdoors.
And for a vibe coded app, it’s already a feature rich offering:
- See recent tick activity on a map — color-coded by how recently each one was found (red = this week, orange = this month, yellow = older)
- Report a sighting in under a minute (no account required), drop a pin, snap a photo, add notes
- Identify a tick with AI — upload a photo and get a species guess instantly
- Search any address or trail to see what’s been reported nearby
- Save your favorite spots (trails, parks, your backyard) for quick check-ins
- Free, no account required to browse or report (sign in for unlimited reports and saved places)
Hopefully, this helps you stay more well informed during your hikes and whatnot. Know before you go and stay safe while you’re outdoors this season. So check yourself after every outing, wear the long sleeves, and — if you spot one — drop a pin so the next person doesn’t have to find out the hard way.
For more information, visit TickCheck.
(h/t Jason Harris)