Substance Hunt App

Substance Hunt uses your camera to analyze surfaces and return structured, actionable information about what they're made of and how they perform. Point the scanner at a material, and the app returns a match percentage alongside scores for strength, water resistance, and heat resistance — all on a 0–100 scale. Wood, for instance, might score 65 for strength but only 20 for heat resistance, which matters a great deal if you're planning a project near an open flame.

Three Modes, One Material

What sets the app apart is its Modes screen — described in-app as "three lenses, same material." DIY Mode evaluates surfaces for building, fixing, and repurposing. Survival Mode assesses materials for shelter potential, fire-starting value, and water shielding — useful for outdoor contexts or simply understanding what's around you. A Design Mode rounds out the trio with an aesthetic-oriented lens. Each mode produces a distinct set of ratings and field notes tailored to the context. Survival Mode's notes on wood, for example, flag it as an excellent shelter frame material and note that dry wood burns cleanly for warmth.

Warnings and Practical Notes

Every material detail view includes a dedicated warnings section, marked with red triangle indicators. Fabric, for example, comes with three specific cautions:

• Absorbs moisture unless treated
• Many fabrics ignite rapidly
• Abrades at stress points over time

A uses section lists concrete applications — upholstery, dividers, insulation layers, straps — and a personal notes field lets you annotate anything you want to remember. It's a thoughtful layer of utility that most scanner apps skip entirely.

Where the App Has Room to Grow

The scanner returns a match percentage — 56% for woven wood in one tested scan — but the app doesn't explain what drives that confidence level or how to improve it. For users who want to understand the reasoning behind a result, not just the number, that gap is noticeable. Icon-only navigation buttons also lack text labels, which limits accessibility for screen reader users.

A Visual World of Hidden Properties

The app's icon sets an atmospheric tone immediately: a dark ornate hammer rising from a volcanic landscape of jagged peaks, purple sky fading to orange at the horizon, and rough craggy rock below. That same sense of uncovering hidden potential — something powerful lying beneath an ordinary surface — carries through the scanner interface itself. It's reminiscent of the way certain fire-and-crystal themed experiences reward attention to detail, where what looks like bare rock turns out to hold entirely different properties depending on how you examine it. Substance Hunt applies that same logic to the real world: the surface in front of you is never just what it appears to be.