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Infotechnological Mobility Observatory
The aim of the IMO is to build a data infrastructure for mobility studies that integrates emerging (mobile phones, sensors); traditional (individual level censuses, registers) and contextual (environment, traffic sensors, urban sensors etc) data sources.
The main role of the Mobility Lab is to develop and make available mobile positioning data:
- passive mobile positioning data, and
- smartphone application MobilityLog data.
In the course of the project, population statistics map application has been created on the bases of passive mobile positioning data, where can display population statistics and download as open data.
Research papers
2022
- Puura, A., Silm, S., Masso, A. (2022). Identifying relationships between personal social networks and spatial mobility: A study using smartphone tracing and related surveys. Social Networks, Vol. 68, pp. 306-317, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2021.08.008
- Telve, K., Vill, K., Silm, S. (2022). Transnationalism in the digital age: Estonians connected to their country of origin via ICT. Journal of Baltic Studies, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01629778.2022.2144395
2021
- Aasa, A., Kamenjuk, P., Saluveer, E., Šimbera, J., Raun, J. (2021). Spatial interpolation of mobile positioning data for population statistics: Journal of Location Based Services. Journal of Location Based Services, 1-22, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17489725.2021.1917710
- Altin, L., Ahas, R., Silm, S., Saluveer, E. (2021) Megastar concerts in tourism: a study using mobile phone data, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, DOI: 10.1080/15022250.2021.1936625
- Järv, O., Masso, A., Silm, S., Ahas, R. (2021). The Link Between Ethnic Segregation and Socio‐Economic Status: An Activity Space Approach. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Vol. 112, No. 3, pp. 319–335, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12465
- Järv, O., Tominga, A., Müürisepp, K., Silm, S. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on daily lives of transnational people based on smartphone data: Estonians in Finland. Journal of Location Based Services, 15(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17489725.2021.1887526
- Silm, S., Jauhiainen, J. S., Raun, J., Tiru, M. (2021). Temporary population mobilities between Estonia and Finland based on mobile phone data and the emergence of a cross-border region, European Planning Studies, 29:4, 699-719, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2020.1774514
- Silm, S., Mooses, V., Puura, A., Masso, A., Tominga, A., & Saluveer, E. (2021). The Relationship between Ethno-Linguistic Composition of Social Networks and Activity Space: A Study Using Mobile Phone Data. Social Inclusion, 9(2), 192-207, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17645/si.v9i2.3839
- Tammaru, T., Knapp, D., Silm, S., Van Ham, M., Witlox, F. (2021). Spatial Underpinnings of Social Inequalities: A Vicious Circles of Segregation Approach. Social Inclusion, 9 (2), 65−76. DOI: 10.17645/si.v9i2.4345
2020
- Mooses, V., Silm, S., Tammaru, T. et al. (2020). An ethno-linguistic dimension in transnational activity space measured with mobile phone data, Humanit Soc Sci Commun7, 140, doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-00627-3
- Saluveer, E., Raun, J., Tiru, M., Altin, L., Kroon, J., Snitsarenko, T., Aasa, A., Silm, S. (2020). Methodological framework for producing national tourism statistics from mobile positioning data, Annals of Tourism Research, 81, doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2020.102895
- Silm, S., Järv, O. (2020). Mobiiltelefonid ühiskonna aegruumilises analüüsis. Kuidas mõista andmestunud maailma? Metodoloogiline teejuht. A. Masso, K. Tiidenberg, A. Siibak (toim), Tallinna Ülikooli kirjastus.
2019
- Masso, A., Silm, S., Ahas, R. (2019). Generational differences in spatial mobility: A study with mobile phone data, Population Space and Place, 25:2, doi: 10.1002/psp.2210
2018
- Puura, A., Silm, S., Ahas, R. (2018). The Relationship between Social Networks and Spatial Mobility: A Mobile-Phone-Based Study in Estonia, Journal of Urban Technology, 25:2, 7-25, doi: 10.1080/10630732.2017.1406253
- Silm, S., Ahas, R., Mooses, V. (2018). Are younger age groups less segregated? Measuring ethnic segregation in activity spaces using mobile phone data, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 44:11, 1797-1817, doi: 10.1080/1369183X.2017.1400425
2017
- Ahas, R., Silm, S., Tiru, M. (2017). Eestist lähtuv hargmaisus mobiilside rändlusandmete alusel, Eesti inimarengu aruanne 2016/2017. Eesti rändeasjastul. Kättesaadav: https://inimareng.ee/valjapoole-avatud-eesti/eestist-lahtuv-hargmaisus-mobiilside-randlusandmete-alusel/
Public presentations and media coverage
2024
- Tammaru, T. (2024) Observatoorium, kus on mobiiltelefonidest teleskoop – see kõnnib meie kannul. Postimees, 19.12.2024
- Tammaru, T. (2024) Inimeste olemusse kiikav observatoorium. Kukkuv õun, Raadio Kuku, 11.12.2024 (alates 21:13)
2022
- Siiri Silm “IMO – mobiilsusuuringuid toetav andmetaristu”, 17.05.2022, Infotehnoloogiline mobiilsusobservatoorium (IMO) lõpuseminar, Tartu
- Siiri Silm “Mobiiliandmetel põhinev rahvastikustatistika kaardirakendus”, 17.05.2022, Infotehnoloogiline mobiilsusobservatoorium (IMO) lõpuseminar, Tartu
- 29.04.2022 Tiit Tammaru ja Tõnis Mölder. Välismaalaste seaduse muutmise seadusest
2021
- Siiri Silm “Implementing the three pillars of smart city: SUSTAINABILITY, DIGITALISATION and SOCIAL INCLUSION i Tartu, Estonia”, 15.12.2021, Expo Siiri Silm_2021_EXPO
- Siiri Silm “What makes cities smart?”, 10.11.2021, Research in Estonia podcast, https://soundcloud.com/research-in-estonia/smart-cities?si=eddcad560c554fa1af1a1ef8905f66e5
2020
- Siiri Silm “Mobile Positioning Data for Human Mobility Studies” 13.02.2020, Intelligent transportation and logistic systems (ITS) Estonia seminar, Tartu
Delta Centre - Andrea Giudici “DrifterTrack Software Overview 2020”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr6yjccYPjw&feature=youtu.be
- Tiit Tammaru & Siiri Silm “Mobility Lab and mobile positioning data for studying the population in space and time” 31.01.2020, EIT Urban Mobility (www.eiturbanmobility.eu) Northern Innovation Hub seminar, Tartu
- Siiri Silm “Mobile positioning data for studying the population in space and time”, 20.01.2020, EIFER seminar, Karlsruhe, Germany
- 17.04.2020 TÜ teadlased: kuidas ühiskond mobiilpositsioneerimisest võidaks?
2019
- Siiri Silm “Managing big data on a national scale: Infotechnological Mobility Observatory”, 27.06.2019, BDV PPP Summit 2019, Riga, Latvia: Siiri Silm_2019_BDV PPP_ Managing big data on a national scale Infotechnological Mobility Observatory
- Pilleriine Kamenjuk, Anto Aasa “Wearable sensors for mobility statistics”, 31.01.2019: Wearable_sensors_for_mobility_statistics_Kamenjuk_Aasa
- 04.07.2019 Murettegev trend: tööjõukriisile vajutab valusalt Tallinna lähedus
2018
- Pilleriine Kamenjuk “Managing big data on a national scale: Infotechnological Mobility Observatory”, 28.08.2018, FuturlCT 2.0, Tallinn: Pilleriine Kamenjuk_2018_Tallinn_FuturICT2.0
- Project name: Infotechnological Mobility Observatory
- Duration: January 2016–August 2022
- Funding: SA Archimedes. subject of the Estonian Research Infrastructures Roadmap
- Lead partner: University of Tartu
- Principal Investigators at University of Tartu: Tiit Tammaru (previously Rein Ahas)
- Principal Investigators at the Mobility Lab: Siiri Silm
- People involved: Pilleriine Kamenjuk, Anto Aasa, Age Poom, Veronika Mooses, Janika Raun, Anniki Puura, Jürgen Öövel, Arvi Kiik
- Collaboration partners in Estonia: Statistics Estonia, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology
- Project webpage: https://imo.ut.ee/en/
- Project information in the Estonian Research Information System

