Daniele Quercia: Happy maps

The speaker, a scientist and engineer, reflects on the obsession with efficiency, sharing a personal story about using mapping apps for commuting. This experience led to a shift in research focus from data-mining to understanding city experiences. The speaker describes a crowdsourcing experiment to identify beautiful urban scenes, resulting in maps that highlight enjoyable routes based on human emotions. The talk concludes with a vision for future mapping tools that incorporate aesthetics, memories, and sensory experiences, encouraging a richer engagement with the city.

What realization did the speaker have about their daily commute?

• They were taking the longest route.

• They were cycling too fast.

• They were using the wrong mapping app.

• They were missing out on more enjoyable routes.

What change did the speaker make in their research focus?

• From data-mining to city experiences.

• From mapping apps to GPS technology.

• From efficiency to speed.

• From engineering to biology.

Which social science experiments influenced the speaker's new research?

• Experiments by Albert Einstein.

• Experiments by Isaac Newton.

• Experiments by Jane Jacobs, Stanley Milgram, and Kevin Lynch.

• Experiments by Charles Darwin.

What was the purpose of the crowdsourcing platform developed by the speaker?

• To find the fastest routes.

• To calculate travel costs.

• To track cycling speeds.

• To identify beautiful urban scenes.

What did participants enjoy about the new maps created by the speaker?

• They offered more enjoyable routes.

• They were easier to read.

• They were more colorful.

• They were more accurate.

What metaphor does the speaker use to encourage breaking free from routine?

• The Wizard of Oz.

• The Truman Show.

• The Matrix.

• Inception.

What is the speaker's final message about routine and adventure?

• Routine is predictable, adventure is chaotic.

• Routine is safe, adventure is risky.

• Routine is deadly, adventure is necessary.

• Routine is efficient, adventure is wasteful.