Steering crowds by non-invasive methods using the "nudging" approach: from laboratory to reality
| Project/Area Number |
23K13521
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 25020:Safety engineering-related
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
フェリシャーニ クラウディオ 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 特任准教授 (40870035)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2023-04-01 – 2026-03-31
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| Project Status |
Granted (Fiscal Year 2023)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000)
Fiscal Year 2025: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000)
Fiscal Year 2024: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000)
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| Keywords | environmental stimulus / nudge / collective vigilance / crowd size / collective motion / crowd control / crowd steering / nudging / collective behavior / environmental stimuli / swarm |
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| Outline of Research at the Start |
In this research, methods to steer human crowds and animal swarms in an ecological setting will be studied by using environmental stimuli. Light, sound and colors will be used to influence collective behavior without making disruptive interventions by applying the "nudging" approach. In addition to human crowds, a particular species of crab (the so-called "soldier crab") will be used to perform a more systematic investigation trying to create a theoretical framework to be used also for human subjects. Finally, honey bees will be also used to check the effect of collective (swarm) memory.
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
A detailed analysis of existing data confirmed the potential for crowd steering using environmental stimuli, particularly light. Locations were chosen based on their dark environments and flexible lighting conditions, such as Osaka Aquarium and Iwaki Firework display. Observations on crabs were conducted to explore the use of light in their habitat. Nighttime behavior proved challenging, making night experiments unfeasible. However, intriguing daytime behavior was observed when buses passes in the nearby street prompting a collective behavior which is density-dependent, aligning with the study's goals.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Research on human crowds is progressing on schedule. A system to automatically switch on devices (lights, sound, etc.) is being prepared, and development is moving on schedule with deployment scheduled for this year. Experiments on crowds are being planned at Osaka Aquarium, including data collection and semi-automated crowd steering using light (staff will perform steering based on suggestions provided by the system). Organizers of the Iwaki Firework display have agreed to collaborate and site selection is planned for this year. Experiments on crabs have revealed unexpected results and are progressing faster than expected. Research on bees is being halted to give priority to crabs, which are more likely to generate important results. Data collection on bees is still ongoing.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Experiments will be performed at Osaka Aquarium this year to check whether light can really be used in a real-world context. A sensing system will be used to monitor the number of visitors in a part of the aquarium, and lights will be turned on when the number exceeds a given limit. In the first phase, data collection will be performed to determine the limit, and later indications will be given to the staff based on real-time sensing. If the indications are considered valid, automatic steering will be performed in the next phase. A similar experiment is being planned in Iwaki as well, and site selection will be performed this year. A full-scale data collection is scheduled for crabs to obtain videos at a sufficient resolution for computer vision analysis.
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Report
(1 results)
Research Products
(13 results)
