Behavioral computing is a term that applies to specialized computing equipment and software application programs that are tailored specifically for understanding human behavior on a large scale. Here are some example research topics:
- Man’s interaction with the environment
- Public health and Covid-19 restrictions/compliance
- Affordable housing
- Crime and violence in communities
- Aging populations and disability services
- College acceptance policies
- Economically under-served communities
- Immigration and border practices
- Student loans and government funding
- Traffic patterns and housing centers
- Adoption of new technologies
- Food deserts and banking access
- Medical access in rural communities
- Public and private educational outcomes
- Substance use and abuse
- Utilization of public transportation
- Public funding of arts and entertainment
- Economic incentive programs
- Farm policy and environmental change
In each example, there are many actors operating simultaneously in a dynamic environment. Available data often include a variety of ill-structured media that are difficult to assimilate and assess. The NxtLight project is focused on improving the researcher’s ability to aggregate such diverse data, visualize relationships, capture evolving situations, and conduct better studies, overall.