10 November 2016

How Big Data will stop you missing your flight

The optimum results you are looking for, when you use Big Data, is the information you never knew existed. Non-intuitive relationships between variables are the key to unlocking predictive behaviours that can save budget and vastly improve efficiency.

And the applications can improve our lives immeasurably. For example, a new system to predict whether passengers will catch their connecting flights has been developed by the UCL School of Management, to reduce delays at the world’s most congested airports.

Using real-time data, the study focuses on passenger movement using advanced data analytics and machine learning technology to accurately predict hours in advance whether passengers will catch their connections to avoid flight delays and better manage queues at security and border control. The system is currently being trialled at Heathrow Airport.

But data mining need not be on such a grand scale: simple data mining exercises around traffic levels, air quality and footfall allows councils to introduce traffic calming or turn certain street lights off at certain times. This takes weeks, not months, to implement and it doesn’t require a mathematician and this small scale data mining is the way to build the foundation of a Smart City, like Milton Keynes.

Milton Keynes is the fastest growing city in the UK, where a wireless network has been employed across the whole city, with sensors monitoring air quality, congestion, car parking spaces, traffic movement and footfall and even which public bins are full. The data is brought together in an information hub that contains 5000 data sets. Organisations like Anglian Water and other service suppliers are hooked in to the infrastructure.

So using big data to identify what people do and when they do it, before weaving that in to the infrastructure can not only take out the pain points many of us experience as citizens in a busy city, but also get more bang for our budget buck. And big data can also give us the knowledge and the strategic sense of what a city needs to make it Smart. Whether it will make the security queues at Heathrow any less agonising remains to be seen.

Bob Quin is Senior Marketing Manager at BT Business and Public Sector.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Revenue Services Collection Officer

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£35,391 - £45,564 per annum
You will be responsible for collecting rent from all tenants of residential and non-residential properties such as garages and store sheds. Rent Collection Service is a customer facing role and we are a first point of contact for our tenants who primarily Wandsworth, London
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Registration Service Advisor

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum + pension
Registration Service AdvisorPermanent, Full Time£25,081 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Residential Worker

Durham County Council
Grade 7 £30,024 - £33,699 plus up to £5000 in enhancements
Join a Groundbreaking Team Supporting Families in Seaham Are you ready to be part of something truly transformative? We’re launching The Beacon, a p Seaham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Multimedia Senior Support Officer

Durham County Council
Grade 7 £30,024 to £33,699 per annum
We are looking for an experienced individual who has well-developed creative writing skills across a variety of different formats and audiences and an Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Residential Worker (Casual)

Durham County Council
Grade 7 - £30,024 - £33,699 pro rata, per annum
Opportunities are available across the County Durham Area We have opportunities available to join the casual pool to work as and when required to pro Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner