Psychogeography in the Age of the Quantified Self — Mental Map modelling with Georeferenced Personal Activity Data

Abstract. Personal and subjective perceptions of urban space have been a focus of various research projects in the area of cartography, geography, and related fields such as urban planning. This paper illustrates how personal georeferenced activity data can be used in algorithmic modelling of certain aspects of mental maps and customised spatial visualisations. The technical implementation of the algorithm is accompanied by a preliminary study which evaluates the performance of the algorithm. As a linking element between personal perception, interpretation, and depiction of space and the field of cartography and geography, we include perspectives from artistic practice and cultural theory. By developing novel visualisation concepts based on personal data, the paper in part mitigates the challenges presented by user modelling that is, amongst others, used in LBS applications.