BEGIN seminar – Dr Milad Malekzadeh
Date: Tuesday, 7th of October 2025, at 14:00 (UK Time)
Location: Hybrid – In person (Room 310, Irvine Building, St Andrews) and Online (MS Teams).
Towards Democratizing VR, AI, and Mobility Data: Insights from GreenTravel, MobiTwin, and OpenGPS
Abstract:
This presentation highlights two interconnected streams of my research: human–environment interactions using emerging technologies, and human mobility analysis with a strong commitment to open data.
In the GreenTravel project, we use virtual reality (VR) and biosensors to explore how individuals perceive and emotionally respond to their travel environments, providing fine-grained insights into the sensory and physiological dimensions of urban mobility. We also investigate whether off-the-shelf AI models can approximate human perceptions using urban imagery and spatial data, assessing how automated systems can replicate or complement human evaluations of urban environments.
In the MobiTwin project, we examine how the European Union’s green and digital transition policies influence different types of spatial mobility. By combining big data from multiple sources, we analyze how and why people move across regions, and how these movements relate to broader social, economic, and environmental change.
Finally, the OpenGPS project focuses on building a collaborative platform for storing, analyzing, and sharing mobility data. OpenGPS aims to democratize access to mobility datasets and spatial tools, enabling researchers, planners, and citizens to work together on transparent, reproducible analyses of travel environments and support more inclusive urban planning processes.
Recording:
Bio:
Milad Malekzadeh is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Digital Geography Lab, Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki. His work bridges quantitative geography, human mobility, urban accessibility, and geo‑AI, with a particular focus on how travel environments influence human well-being.
Milad’s current research explores how off-the-shelf AI models, including both proprietary and open-source solutions, can be integrated into urban planning and smart city development. He investigates how these technologies can assist both urban planners and citizens in shaping more livable environments.
