Data Collection on Personal Movement using Mobile ICTs: Old Wine in New Bottles?

Abstract

This chapter examines the current status of data collection methods employing location/time-aware devices to observe evolving patterns of spatio-temporal behaviour, including patterns that are affected by ICTs. Drawing mostly on transport research, it is suggested that two streams of development have emerged: a “passive” stream that maximises the automatic interpretation of positioning data, and an “active” stream, that is using increasingly sophisticated mobile computing devices and/or the Internet to engage respondents in the validation, interpretation and enhancement of their own data. Recent and future developments are described that promise to go beyond simply using technologies to carry out conventional travel surveys: rather, some new classes of data may be obtained, notably because of common or overlapping interests with other fields, such as public health research. There are, however, some ethical and public acceptability constraints that must be respected.