WiLDash Development and Pilot

The prevalence of free public Wi-Fi services and the high penetration rate of smartphones enable the passive generation of wide-distributed and long-lasting (i.e., days, weeks, to years) Wi-Fi log data, which records when, where, and how the Wi-Fi devices connect or disconnect to Wi-Fi access points (APs), implying human travel activities and mobility patterns. However, raw Wi-Fi log data in different formats are collected from various Wi-Fi equipment manufacturers. Also, data processing and analysis lack a standard pipeline due to different data uses. Wi-Fi agencies or stakeholders may not have sufficient IT resources and data analytic capability to process Wi-Fi data. Moreover, Wi-Fi data users must pay attention to privacy and security concerns. Therefore, the problem or issue needing investigation is to develop a generalized, convenient, and secure Wi- Fi data processing and analysis procedure for public Wi-Fi log data from different locations to satisfy human mobility analysis needs while considering data privacy and security concerns. To solve this problem, WiLDash, a web-GIS dashboard tool for Wi-Fi log data processing and analysis, will be developed and implemented. This project is a technology transfer effort for North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT’s) Technical Assistance Request project TAR 2022-06: University Campus Wi-Fi Log Data Processing Methodology Development. The primary research objectives include (1) developing and piloting a WiLDash tool, a web-GIS dashboard for Wi-Fi log data processing and analysis, and (2) disseminating WiLDash at high profile venues for user testing and analyzing feedback from users to improve the tool consistently. The WiLDash tool allows users to upload raw Wi-Fi log data files. It then automatically generates human mobility pattern results as diagrams, tables, and GIS maps on web pages through visualization and analytical procedures, such as descriptive and spatial-temporal analyses. After establishing and publishing WiLDash online, the research team will work with NCDOT staff to monitor web tool performance and manage the stored Wi-Fi data. The team will also set up a series of advertisements and dissemination activities, such as hosting webinars, sharing information on social media, publishing news on NCDOT and the UNC Charlotte website, or presenting at conferences to attract attention from Wi-Fi stakeholders. The proposed WiLDash tool will help Wi-Fi providers, stakeholders, or agencies (e.g., cities, towns, state to regional entities) with a convenient, low-cost, liability-free (safe) Wi-Fi log data processing and analysis approach to boost Wi-Fi data use for improving human mobility. This tool will benefit NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) and local city governments by collecting Wi-Fi log data and enabling the analysis of Wi-Fi-based human mobility patterns to facilitate the adoption of advanced mobility (e.g., micromobility, microtransit, and ridesharing), thereby reducing travel time, waiting time, and carbon footprint.

    Language

    • English

    Project

    • Status: Active
    • Funding: $199,954.00
    • Contract Numbers:

      TT2025-01

    • Sponsor Organizations:

      North Carolina Department of Transportation

      Research and Development
      1549 Mail Service Center
      Raleigh, NC  United States  27699-1549
    • Managing Organizations:

      North Carolina Department of Transportation

      Research and Development
      1549 Mail Service Center
      Raleigh, NC  United States  27699-1549
    • Project Managers:

      Bryant, Catherine

    • Performing Organizations:

      University of North Carolina - Charlotte

      9201 University City Blvd
      Charlotte, North Carolina  United States  28223-0001
    • Principal Investigators:

      Zhu, Lei

    • Start Date: 20250101
    • Expected Completion Date: 20261231
    • Actual Completion Date: 0

    Subject/Index Terms

    Filing Info

    • Accession Number: 01944828
    • Record Type: Research project
    • Source Agency: North Carolina Department of Transportation
    • Contract Numbers: TT2025-01
    • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
    • Created Date: Feb 4 2025 8:28AM