Keywords: Big Data, Urban Social Sciences, Data-Driven Society , Data Ownership, Mathematics
Where physics is to study the laws of matter & energy flow - social physics is to study the patterns of human ideas & behaviours
PART I
Unravels the discipline of social physics through: Exploration, flow of ideas & public engagements
PART II
Idea Machines - looking at collective intelligence and organisational change through industry
PART III
Looking at Data-rich cities and how to build an urban nervous-system
PART IV
Data-rich societies and how to deal with data privacy
WHAT? HOW? WHAT IF?
Bonus: why I read this was a thriller
WHAT?
Humans
as social creatures
Humans are more social than we let on, data available through our phones now gives a more accurate picture of how we engage and behave.
Social Physics: A Quantitative Science
Studying behaviors, it establishes mathematical connections between information, idea flow and people’s behavior.
New Tech - New Theory
New technologies have produced a surge in available data. Since then, there has been an emergence of 'sociophysics', uncovering statistical patterns in human movement, communication, and their economic correlations. 01 02 03
WHAT?
the creative ideas that flow between & therefore connect
TRADERS SHARED TIPS ON A SOCIAL NETWORK. LOSSES WERE BAD FOR TRADERS AND BROKERS. MIT LIVING LAB STUDY ON 'HOW IDEAS SPREAD ON THE NETWORK’.
RESULT: +1M MESSAGES ANALYSED SHOWED HERDING, FEAR MONGERING AND ADOPTION OF SIMILAR STRATGIES WHICH CAUSED MORE LOSES.
Case-study: Financial Day Traders
Big Data
Analysis of human experience and idea exchange through digital traces left in daily life. More accurate reflection of human behavior than self-reported information, like Facebook posts.
In densified cities, large bodies of data can be collected and the interactions between people can be studied 01 02 03
Reality Mining
Process of examining digital traces using Big Data. Best yield is when tested in Living Labs (realworld uses of devices with participants knowingly contributing data)
Big Cities and Big Data
REALITY MINING OF GPS DATA FROM MOBILE PHONES. HUMAN ACTIVITY PATTERNS WITHIN A CITY. GRAY-LEVEL CODED BY COMMON PATTERNS OF ACTIVITY. THE PATTERNS OF ACTIVITY REVEAL DISTINCT RHYTHMS THAT CHANGE IN PREDICTABLE WAYS
Case-study: Human Activity in San Francisco
REALITY MINING OF GPS DATA FROM MOBILE PHONES. HUMAN ACTIVITY PATTERNS WITHIN A CITY. GRAY-LEVEL CODED BY COMMON PATTERNS OF ACTIVITY. THE PATTERNS OF ACTIVITY REVEAL DISTINCT RHYTHMS THAT CHANGE IN PREDICTABLE WAYS
Case-study: Human Activity in San Francisco
PRIMARY PATTERN:
WORKDAY - USUALLY ALONG THE SAME PATH, WORK AND HOME.
SECONDARY PATTERN:
WEEKEND - LEISURE, SLEEPING AND NIGHTS OUT
THIRD PATTERN (THE WILDCARD):
MORE EXPLORATIVE, SHOPPING, OUTING ETC. DISTINGUISHED FOR ITS LACK OF STRUCTURE.
ITS A THRILLER
Use of data to rigg elections in various parts of the world
Burst of Delusions
Certain behaviours are not recognised by people themselves or loved ones - how do we deal with transparencies we are not ready for?
In nations where data protection is not taken seriously enough yet, there are no protections. This seems easy to create dire urban consequences
01
02
WHAT
IF?
Our Data is abused?
The New Data Deal is a concept aiming for a balance between public good and protecting individual privacy. Discussions among global leaders for workable policies are underway.
Trust Networks Use of digital trust networks for safe and controlled personal data exchanges. Example: openPDS system for individual data management. Used by SWIFT banking.
We used this for diseases?
Crowdsourcing has proved useful for mapping infection risks by analyzing population-wide behavior data. Combining behavior changes with location data for comprehensive risk assessment. Aiding Centre of Disease Control, anticipate amount of sick to care for.
MAP OF PEOPLE’S INTERACTIONS AT EACH LOCATION AND HOW LIKELY THEY ARE TO CATCH THE FLU. THE DARK AREAS ARE WHERE WE HAVE DATA; THE LIGHTER AREAS WITHIN THE DARK ARE WHERE CATCHING THE FLU IS MORE LIKELY.
Case-study: Flu-Season in San Francisco
DATA FOR DEVELOPMENT
Ivory Coast Improvement in transport would make commuting 10% cheaper.
Closer proximity would mean more conducive flow of ideas
Zurich
Faced with an exploding population and a high number of people residing in the villages on the outskirts of the main city, the inexpensive light-rail transportation system enabled people to quickly travel to the central cultural center and back with ease.
This encouraged the exchange of ideas between those who opted for affordable accommodation in the villages and all who utilized public spaces in the city. The exchange of ideas fostered innovations, which fueled the city's economy and allowed it to expand.
BIG DATA IN CITIES?
TO IMPROVE URBAN EXPLORATION, INNOVATION &
PRODUCTIVITY FOR THE EXCHANGE AND FREE-FLOW OF IDEAS
