OpenSignal @jamescrr

Mobile: the Measure of All Things

24 hours of data received from OpenSignal

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Coming to a lecture theatre near you

1. Mobile sensors beat Human

sensors

2. Mobile sensors are getting

better.*

3. Mobile measures more than you

think.

*humans aren’t.

OpenSignal & WeatherSignal sensor networks on 7m phones

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Man made Data

“Man is the measure of all things” - Protagoras

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.” - NIV Bible

The Cheugugi rain gauge, Korea.

“that which no canvas sails could withstand” - Force 12, the Beaufort Scale.

Chronicles. Annals. Diaries. Newspapers. Civil records. Facebook. Twitter.

Da Vinci’s Schema delle Proporzioni

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Mobile Sensors & RepurposingFingerprint

scanner Heartrate

RGB Ambient Light

Relative humidity Env. temperature

BarometerNFC

GyroscopeAccelerometer

Bluetooth radio WiFi radioFM radio

Cell radio Front camera Rear camera

GPS Magnetic field

Light flux Battery temp.

MicrophoneTouch

S I S II S III S4 S5

Images from iFixit and forthcoming OpenSignal Sensor iIbrary

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Man vs Mobile

No artwork is enhanced by the addition of clipart.

It’s quite warm.

It’s 26.2°C

Man is:

• Imprecise

• Low accuracy

• Limited range

• Magnetism?

• Not good at

logging

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Mobile Sensors are getting better

New, Smarter, More Efficient

• New raw sensors (gas, sweat,

heartrate)

• New virtual sensors offer context

awareness & more (pedometer,

activity recognition, significant motion)

• Efficiency of mobile sensing

increasing

(co-processors/sensor batching)

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Outdoor temperature from phone batteries

All phones have battery temperature sensors

Lots of things influence the battery temperature

Including outdoor air temp.

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Outdoor temperature from phone batteries

Linear transformation.

Details in GRL &at OpenSignal.com/reports

OpenSignal @jamescrr

Do People Like Obama?

• WiFi routers are occasionally named to express political opinions

• We found 1140 WiFis referencing Obama in May 2012

• Net +ve sentiment

• Other WiFi tricks: net discovery.

OpenSignal @jamescrr

When do we get up?

Weekdays – 8 am Weekends – 10 am

We modeled US LTE speeds with linear regression, variables included signal quality and factors for hour of day.

OpenSignal @jamescrr

How much do I use my phone?

Feb Mar AprJanDec

0

5

10

15

20

• Number of times I turn on my Galaxy S4 screen per hour.

• Darkest blue is 50.

• GS4 is not my only phone.

OpenSignal @jamescrr

The World is now your LabMobiles sensors:• pre-existing• maintenance free• continually upgraded piece of scientific apparatus, capturing unparalleled detail on the environment & human activities.

Challenges• Capabilities of mobile exceed the

ambition of app developers• No Higgs boson sensor yet

Your device can be a nut in a scientific apparatus larger than the LHC

OpenSignal @jamescrr

We are Hiring

OpenSignal.com/jobs