Dynamic, Interactive and Visual Analysis of Population Distribution and Mobility Dynamics in an Urban Environment Using the Mobility Explorer Framework

Jan Peters-Anders,Wolfgang Loibl,Zaheer Khan,Arno Breinbauer,Helmut Augustin

doi:10.3390/info8020056

Jan Peters-Anders, Wolfgang Loibl + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/info8020056

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Abstract

This paper investigates the extent to which a mobile data source can be utilised to generate new information intelligence for decision-making in smart city planning processes. In this regard, the Mobility Explorer framework is introduced and applied to the City of Vienna (Austria) by using anonymised mobile phone data from a mobile phone service provider. This framework identifies five necessary elements that are needed to develop complex planning applications. As part of the investigation and experiments a new dynamic software tool, called Mobility Explorer, has been designed and developed based on the requirements of the planning department of the City of Vienna. As a result, the Mobility Explorer enables city stakeholders to interactively visualise the dynamic diurnal population distribution, mobility patterns and various other complex outputs for planning needs. Based on the experiences during the development phase, this paper discusses mobile data issues, presents the visual interface, performs various user-defined analyses, demonstrates the application’s usefulness and critically reflects on the evaluation results of the citizens’ motion exploration that reveal the great potential of mobile phone data in smart city planning but also depict its limitations. These experiences and lessons learned from the Mobility Explorer application development provide useful insights for other cities and planners who want to make informed decisions using mobile phone data in their city planning processes through dynamic visualisation of Call Data Record (CDR) data.

Highlights

This paper investigates the potential of mobile phone data (i.e., Call Data Records (CDR) that are independent of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology) to visually explore diurnal population distribution and sojourn mobility patterns
The overall evaluation participation rate was very promising as 16 expert users with different roles and expertise, i.e., urban planners, policy makers, GIS experts, IT experts and others, participated in the evaluation of the motion exploration tool. This evaluation was performed with the objective of assessing the usability, functionality, benefits and relevance of the motion exploration tool in collecting the evidence base for smart city planning
The impact of CDR in smart city planning applications goes beyond the fields of academia and research

Summary

Introduction

This paper investigates the potential of mobile phone data (i.e., Call Data Records (CDR) that are independent of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology) to visually explore diurnal population distribution and sojourn mobility patterns This visual exploration includes interactive spatial and temporal dynamics of urban population on a city and city-region scale. Population distribution has long been detected through the census These data are important but provide insufficient information on the real-time dynamics of population distribution in a city. This is because distribution patterns change frequently during the day and time of the year, mainly due to the daily socioeconomic activities of citizens that require them to travel from one place to another. Basis for statistical projection of mobile phone users to total population Population Total

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