Controlling and Guiding People Flows

Building upon the measurements, analyses, simulations of people flows and insights from orientation research arsenal research obtains comprehensive and realistic insights into motion patterns within an infrastructure. By adapting parameters, the following indicative research questions can be answered:

• How to avoid safety-critical overcrowding by influencing the flow of people with regulatory measures and static devices (e.g. meanders)?
• How to avoid overcrowding and to optimize people flows by dynamic real-time control devices?
• How effective is an orientation system for different target groups (e.g. tourists, disabled persons) and how can it be improved?

Click at the following image to view an animation of a simulation for controlling the flow of people to avoid overcrowding on a subway platform. Depending on the measured actual number of people on the platform (upper part of figure), the flow of people can be limited by closing lanes in doorways (shown in red, lower part of figure). The darker the area, the higher the people density.

View Animation (2.5 MB)