Page 10 - Annual Report - interactive demo

Research
Accomplishments and findings from completed and ongoing projects
An Open-source Multi-agent Virtual Simulation Testbed for Evaluating Emerging Transportation Technologies and Policies
Principal Investigator: Joseph Chow, NYU
In this project, the research team has developed and calibrated a virtual testbed, implemented in MATSim and SUMO, that simulates an 8-million-person popula- tion and includes cars, trains, bus, bikeshare, taxi, and other for-hire vehicles. The team is building the architec- ture to host this virtual test bed and developing system design and user guide documentation. In addition, the models are being applied to evaluate specific projects, like the effects of connected vehicles on safety along
a key corridor in downtown Brooklyn, to evaluate the effects of congestion pricing in Manhattan, or the use of carsharing fleets. Currently, the virtual testbed is being further enhanced to incorporate more applications for emerging mobility services, and the team is developing a web-based interface for the ecosystem. The research team is also seeking to connect with and train potential users, such as policymakers and other researchers, to encourage adoption of the virtual testbed for real-world use and new research applications.
A Mobile Navigation Smartphone Application for Seniors in Urban Areas
Principal Investigator: Kelvin Cheu, UTEP
Over the past two years, researchers at UTEP and NYU have collaborated on the development of a smartphone application, Urban Connector, which is designed to cater to the urban mobility needs and preferences of seniors in El Paso. The research team conducted surveys at senior centers to identify seniors’ unique mobility needs and preferences, then developed a prototype of the ap- plication. A pilot survey was conducted to gather feed- back on the app’s interface and functions, and the re- sults of the survey were used to improve the app. Then, 40 seniors were recruited to field-test the application
for a month and surveyed about their experience. More than half the participants strongly agreed or agreed that the application was easy to use or beneficial. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of the participants said that they would like to recommend the Urban Connector application to their friends. The app is currently available and being piloted, and a further expansion of the outreach efforts to seniors in New York City is currently taking place.
Sample visualization of NYC network in MATSim. Screenshot of the Urban Connector app.
9 C2SMART Center Annual Report