5A. Projecting maps into the future. Spatially explicit agent-based simulation

Agent-based simulation forms a simulation paradigm that explicitly captures
the decision making and interaction of actors with each other and with their
environment. Hereby, spatial and non-spatial environment may be integrated
for producing believable projections into the future or for explaining and analysing
current and past scenarios. Such simulations have been used for many
questions relevant for society ranging from landuse to transportation.
At the University of Örebro, we developed a easy-to-use platform for visual
development of agent-based simulations. Using this platform, we focus on
analysing short-term effects of individual human decision making on a spatially
explicit environment. Examples are the effect of traffic information on travelers’
distribution or an analysis of where help-seeking people might go to in case
of a natural disaster. Our newest research combines map and sensor data for
increasing the feeling of safety of pedestrians. In this talk, we will present what
and how agent-based simulation can be used to address societal challenges
in general and illustrate this using examples from research.