New York Calling

February 29, 2008

From the same folks at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that brought us CityMotion and an Internet-enabled bus stop comes a new project that uses anonymous cell phone and Internet communications to help visualize human migration. The New York Talk Exchange has three maps that show where the communications come from and where they go as well as how they change over time.

What's great about this project is that you can immediately see the diversity that makes New York unique, both ethnically and socio-economically. For example, the team found the the richest and poorest people are making the most international communication, while the middle group talks locally and nationally.

The researchers also used British Telecom data and found that while New Yorkers reach more frequently  into Asia and South America, Londoners more often communicate with Europe and the United States.

The visualizations are part of an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art called "Design and the Elastic Mind" that is open through May. If you can't get to the exhibit, you can see a video here.