09/11/2026
A research paper prepared by Sabancı University Computer Engineering students Senih Kırmaç, Ömer Mert Özel, and Mustafa Bozyel, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Selim Balcısoy from the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, was accepted for presentation at the international UbiComp/ISWC 2026 conference held in Shanghai, China. The students shared their study, which examines the daily mobility habits and social lives of people living in different cities, with an international community of researchers.
Presented as part of the ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp/ISWC) 2026, a major international event in the field of computer science, the paper, titled "From Shared Corridors to Everyday Context: Linking DiversityOne GPS Mobility with Time-Diary Socio-Behavioral Signals Across Cities," focuses on the relationship between human mobility patterns within cities and daily life habits.
Daily Life and Mobility Habits Examined Across Eight Cities
The research analyzed smartphone GPS data from eight different cities in conjunction with "time diaries," in which participants recorded their daily activities, locations, and social interactions. This approach allowed the researchers to investigate the extent to which frequently used common routes within cities align with the daily life habits of individuals.
The findings indicate that common mobility routes within cities are not, on their own, sufficient to explain the daily routines of individuals. The research evaluated the impact of institutional structures and pandemic-era policies on daily life, while also addressing methods for protecting the privacy of personal location data.
Exchange of Knowledge with International Researchers
In addition to presenting their research to the international scientific community, Sabancı University students had the opportunity to meet with researchers from various countries throughout the conference and exchange views on their work.
