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Publications

Publications by Thiago Sobral

2016

OBAVUM: An Ontology-based Approach to Visualizing Urban Mobility Data

Authors
Sobral, T; Costa, V; Borges, J; Fontes, T; Galvao, T;

Publication
PROCEEDINGS OF 2016 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIG DATA ANALYSIS (ICBDA)

Abstract
This paper proposes an ontology-based approach to visualizing urban mobility data. Our approach, which is in ongoing development, is centered in a visualization-oriented urban mobility ontology that is used to semantically characterize data and visualization techniques. We present a practical application to a public transportation network of the city of Porto, Portugal. We address how semantics can empower and facilitate tasks like automatic recommendation of visualization techniques, and definition of a data filter based on passengers' journey patterns.

2016

VUMO: Towards an Ontology of Urban Mobility Events for Supporting Semi-Automatic Visualization Tools

Authors
Sobral, T; Galvao, T; Borges, J;

Publication
2016 IEEE 19TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS (ITSC)

Abstract
This paper introduces VUMO, a visualization-oriented ontology that formalizes the knowledge about urban mobility events (e.g. ridership and travel intentions) and visualization techniques. It focuses on serving as a foundation for the development of semi-automatic visualization tools, while also facilitating the process of data integration. The ontology allows techniques to be characterized with human perception factors, so they can be considered when automatically infering recommended techniques for a dataset. The ultimate goal is to benefit transportation decision makers and foster the development of semantically rich visualization techniques. We propose a structured visualization workflow based on VUMO, and apply it to the development of a prototype featuring real data extracted from a journey planner mobile application.

2017

Semantic integration of urban mobility data for supporting visualization

Authors
Sobral, T; Galvao, T; Borges, J;

Publication
3RD CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN MOBILITY (3RD CSUM 2016)

Abstract
This paper proposes an ontology-based approach to support the process of visualizing urban mobility data. The approach consists of building a visualization-oriented urban mobility ontology, focused on themes such as ridership, vehicle flows and the like. Existing ontologies focus on modelling the overall structure of transportation networks, and do not address the formalization of such themes. The ontology also allows characterizing visualization techniques with human perception factors, so that they can be used to automatically infer recommended techniques for a dataset. The ultimate goal is to benefit decision makers, by providing an ontology that can assist with the process of developing semantically-rich visualizations, with increased data interoperability and knowledge extraction capabilities. We provide an example with real data of the public transportation system of the city of Porto, Portugal. The example shows the semantic characterization of a visualization technique, and how semantics can assist the task of automatically recommending visualizations. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

2015

Towards a Conceptual Framework for Classifying Visualisations of Data from Urban Mobility Services

Authors
Sobral, T; Dias, TG; Borges, JL;

Publication
EXPLORING SERVICES SCIENCE, IESS 2015

Abstract
Urban mobility services generate massive amounts of raw data that are usually not explored in depth by the entities that own them. Visualisation techniques could improve knowledge extraction and decision-making, as well as support the reengineering of those services. Some studies in Information Visualisation provide a domain-independent classification for visualisations based on their own characteristics and the data they support, although independent of their context of use. We propose a classification for visualisations of urban mobility data according to their context of use and their characteristics. Our first results are encouraging and are supported by a user-centred design process carried with urban mobility experts, in which we developed and evaluated a set of visualisation prototypes. The conclusions form a first effort towards a conceptual framework proposal for classifying visualisations of this domain, and are expected to guide researchers and practitioners searching for adequate ways to visually represent their data.

2017

Estimation of Origin-Destination matrices under Automatic Fare Collection: The case study of Porto transportation system

Authors
Hora, J; Dias, TG; Camanho, A; Sobral, T;

Publication
Transportation Research Procedia

Abstract
Entry-only Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) systems are widely used in urban transports. Its main advantages include easy usability by passengers, improvement of the efficiency of revenue management, adequacy to integrate inter-modality approaches, easy cooperation between operators, systematic data collection and gathering tools, contributing to improve the planning process. This work starts with the literature review on applications of the Trip-Chaining Method (TCM) to the estimation of Origin-Destination (OD) matrices using entry-only AFC data. The main contribution of this study is to provide an OD matrix for the city of Porto, allowing to improve the quality of its public transport system. The paper reports the implementation of the TCM to estimate the alighting locations at the disaggregated level in the case study of Porto. The main assumptions adopted are: passengers start the next journey stage at or near the alighting location of their previous trip, passengers end the last trip of the day at the boarding location of the first trip of the day, passengers can only alight in the sequence of stops not yet traveled by the route / direction they boarded, passengers have a maximum interchange distance, above which the destination of that journey stage is not inferred. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

2019

Visualization of Urban Mobility Data from Intelligent Transportation Systems

Authors
Sobral, T; Galvao, T; Borges, J;

Publication
SENSORS

Abstract
Intelligent Transportation Systems are an important enabler for the smart cities paradigm. Currently, such systems generate massive amounts of granular data that can be analyzed to better understand people's dynamics. To address the multivariate nature of spatiotemporal urban mobility data, researchers and practitioners have developed an extensive body of research and interactive visualization tools. Data visualization provides multiple perspectives on data and supports the analytical tasks of domain experts. This article surveys related studies to analyze which topics of urban mobility were addressed and their related phenomena, and to identify the adopted visualization techniques and sensors data types. We highlight research opportunities based on our findings.

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