Researcher Daniel Rainham

Daniel Rainham is a population health researcher at Dalhousie University. He wants to use GPS tracking devices to measure how people move around Halifax. He's hoping to find statistical differences between how healthy and unhealthy people behave. The results could lead to improvements in urban design.

Rainham is currently testing the tracking devices on a few volunteers. The devices look like a camera case with a small plastic disc on the shoulder strap. They use satellite signals to record a subject's position every five seconds. By looking at the distance between dots, you can see how fast a person is moving, and guess their mode of travel.

The tracking devices

CBC reporter Jack Julian wore the tracking device for a week. The map below shows the places he visited for interviews, including Dalhousie University and the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. It also shows where he left town to drive to Waterville and the Halifax Airport. The darker lines indicate when Jack was on foot, including dog-walking at Point Pleasant Park.

In some parts of Halifax the recorder returned erroneous data, such as a mysterious single dot at the Dingle Tower. This may indicate places are not visible to satellites. Rainham hopes to correct glitches like this before he begins his wider study.

Map of Halifax Regional Municipality which illustrates reporter Jack Julian's travels from January 24 to February 2, 2006: