Abstract
Existing infrastructure in cities has become increasingly incapable of operating at its designed efficiency. This demand has been created by the growth in population generating a larger demand and strain on the existing infrastructure. This paper explores how user-generated data could be utilised to create transport infrastructure, more specifically bicycle pathways. Through a series of 'four sprints', a pathway generation system has been adapted from the behaviour of Slime Molds (Physarum Polycephalum), in particular, its ability to define shortest paths on a terrain. The first sprint outlines the design of a Slime Mold algorithm between user-specified points, the second utilises the algorithm for pathway generation in a macro and micro urban scale (acknowledging both the existing infrastructure and cadastral), the third defines weight or effort limits for the pathways in order to suite realistic user-profiles (fitness level of cyclist groups), and the last sprint creates the start and end points for the pathway generation from user-generated data, applying the Slime Mold system to a 'real world' context. Through the four sprints, a design tool has been created that can be used to not only create and analyse cycle pathways, but tweaked for various other forms of tangible transport infrastructure.
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