Paul Weiser’s research while affiliated with ETH Zurich and other places

In everyday communication, people effortlessly translate between spatial cognitive frames of reference. For example, a tourist guide translates from a map (“the fountain is north-west of the church”) into a cognitive frame for a tourist (“the fountain in front of the church”). While different types of cognitive reference frames and their relevance for language cultures have been studied in considerable depth, we still lack adequate transformation models. In this article, we argue that transformations in current Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are inappropriate to this end. Appropriate transformation models need to go beyond point discretization to take into account vague transformations, in order to deal with forms, sizes, and vagueness of spatial relations relative to ground objects. We argue that neural fields should be used to denote fuzzy positions, directions, and sizes in a particular frame. We propose fuzzy vector spaces to approximate neural field behavior with affine transformations, including fuzzy translation, rotation, and scaling, in order to efficiently transform between different cognitive perspectives. We use an implementation in Haskell to describe a geographic map from the perspective of six well-known cognitive frames of reference. Based on these findings, we give an outlook on the principles of a “neural GIS.”

Current Geographic Information Systems (gis) lack, to a large extent, support for spatial searches in which a user wants to find a configuration of objects described in qualitative terms. At the database level, these searches can be supported by providing new spatial operators that can capture the semantics of the qualitative spatial relations used in the description and by developing resolution strategies tailored for queries including these operators. We suggest a technical approach to include an open number of qualitative spatial relations in gis and discuss a processing workflow leading from a qualitative spatial description to a database query and to the search result. We present and empirically evaluate a resolution strategy for these queries that is based on hypergraph matching and that exploits their semantic and structural characteristics. Finally, we envision some realizations of these searches and discuss challenges that relate to the cognitive aspect.

Different forms of spatial descriptions are used to communicate information in the context of navigation in urban environments. When generated by computers, such descriptions are combinations of map features in a predefined way. Unlike computers, however, people are capable of flexibly generating navigational spatial descriptions by taking into account a wide array of different contextual factors, e.g. a user’s prior knowledge and the structure of the environment. This paper deploys the notion of pragmatics to compare formal addresses, route descriptions (generated either by computers or humans), and destination descriptions in terms of their adaptability to contextual factors in order to identify the means to creating more cognitively sound information systems.

The present urban transportation system, mostly tailored for cars, has long shown its limitations. In many urban areas, alternative and effective transport modes are already available and they could be used in inter‐modal combinations to satisfy many travel needs: public transportation, slow mobility networks, vehicle‐sharing systems. However, these transport modes still tend to be neglected due to a deep‐rooted car dependency. How can we encourage people to engage in more sustainable mobility lifestyles, reducing use of the car? With the Switzerland‐based project GoEco! we seek to overcome the traditional awareness‐raising approach and develop a smartphone application (app) that leverages eco‐feedback information, social norms and peer pressure, adopting a “gamification” approach. The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation – NRP71 and by the Swiss Competence Centre on Energy Research SCCER‐Mobility.

Private transport accounts for a large amount of total CO2 emissions, thus significantly contributing to global warming. Tools that actively support people in engaging in a more sustainable life-style without restricting their mobility are urgently needed. How can location-aware information and communication technology (ICT) enable novel interactive and participatory approaches that help people in becoming more sustainable? In this survey paper, we discuss the different aspects of this challenge from a technological and cognitive engineering perspective, based on an overview of the main information processes that may influence mobility behavior. We review the state-of-the-art of research with respect to various ways of influencing mobility behavior (e.g., through providing real-time, user-specific, and location-based feedback) and suggest a corresponding research agenda. We conclude that future research has to focus on reflecting individual goals in providing personal feedback and recommendations that take into account different motivational stages. In addition, a long-term and large-scale empirical evaluation of such tools is necessary.

Private transport accounts for a large amount of total CO2 emissions, thus significantly contributing to global warming. Tools that actively support people in engaging in a more sustainable life-style without restricting their mobility are urgently needed. How can location-aware information and communication technology (ICT) enable novel interactive and participatory approaches that help people in becoming more sustainable? In this survey paper, we discuss the different aspects of this challenge from a technological and cognitive engineering perspective, based on an overview of the main information processes that may influence mobility behavior. We review the state-of-the-art of research with respect to various ways of influencing mobility behavior (e.g., through providing real-time, user-specific, and location-based feedback) and suggest a corresponding research agenda. We conclude that future research has to focus on reflecting individual goals in providing personal feedback and recommendations that take into account different motivational stages. In addition, a long-term and large-scale empirical evaluation of such tools is necessary.

Wayfinding models can be helpful in describing, understanding, and technologically supporting the processes involved in navigation. However, current models either lack a high degree of formalization, or they are not holistic and perceptually grounded, which impedes their use for cognitive engineering. In this paper, we propose a novel formalism that covers the core wayfinding processes, yet is modular in nature by allowing for open slots for those spatial cognitive processes that are modifiable, or not yet well understood. Our model is based on a formal grammar grounded in spatial reference systems and is both interpretable in terms of observable behavior and executable to allow for empirical testing as well as the simulation of wayfinding.

Sustainable human-computer interaction is investigating the role of persuasive and gamified technologies in encouraging people to engage in a more sustainable lifestyle. Motivation is a key requirement for behavior change, yet many persuasive systems do not sufficiently account for motivational aspects. In this paper we investigate under which circumstances components such as feedback and game elements (e.g., rewards) afford user motivation. The result is a taxonomy of design components that is grounded in well-established psychological theories on motivation. We illustrate how the taxonomy can contribute to the design of meaningful persuasive technologies by discussing a case study from the domain of sustainable mobility behavior (the project GoEco!).

This poster outlines a system that is able to publish and match complementary spatio-temporal needs of people, e.g., the need for carpooling.

Poster presented at the 2015 SCCER Mobility annual conference