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Phone Data Used to Map Human Activity

Study, outside US, finds ingrained habits, raises privacy issues

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 4, 2008 3:41 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Researchers using mobile-phone data to study patterns of human movement find that we're quite creatures of habit, the BBC reports. The 100,000 randomly selected subjects—outside the US, where such tracking would be illegal, the AP notes—remained mostly in the same small area, traveling less than 6½ miles daily, with few going more than 50 miles on a regular basis.

Most surprising to the researchers is the fact that human movement overall adheres to a mathematical relationship known as a power law. That, combined with the regularity found in most people’s movements, opens up new possibilities for mathematical population modeling, which in turn could be used in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, such as avian flu.

A Power Law graph representing the amount of movement a population undertakes in their daily lives. Most move very little, a few (left) move a tremendous amount.
A Power Law graph representing the amount of movement a population undertakes in their daily lives. Most move very little, a few (left) move a tremendous amount.   (Wikimedia commons)
In this March 22, 2005 file photo, two young Chinese men use their mobile phones near the China World Trade Center on the streets of the Chinese capital Beijing.
In this March 22, 2005 file photo, two young Chinese men use their mobile phones near the China World Trade Center on the streets of the Chinese capital Beijing.   (AP Photo/File)
Data from a study tracking human movement via cell phones could help authorities check the spread of disease in future, scientists say.
Data from a study tracking human movement via cell phones could help authorities check the spread of disease in future, scientists say.   (AP Photo/Lisa Poole, File)
Kasey Kahne talks on a cell phone in the garage during NASCAR Car of Tomorrow testing at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., Wednesday, May 28, 2008.
Kasey Kahne talks on a cell phone in the garage during NASCAR Car of Tomorrow testing at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., Wednesday, May 28, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
This is one human who moves around a lot.
This is one human who moves around a lot.   (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
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Nature release on the study with links to the original papers
Nature

Study suggests wanderlust is rare
US News & World Report

 
cell phones • economics • research • population • avian flu • human population

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