A Study of Exploration of Heterogeneous Personal Data Collected from Mobile Devices and Web Services

This paper presents a study on the exploration of heterogeneous personal data that are collected from daily life. Most life log research has focused on the capture of personal logs and personal data archives. Although large amounts of personal data can be collected, it is not easy to find effective methods of reusing these data. Our research focuses on helping users recall and reminisce past events with an interactive system that enables them to explore personal data from several viewpoints. These viewpoints and corresponding views are described with a zooming user interface. We also illustrate a summary of personal data and landmarks that trigger memory recall. These concepts and user interfaces are implemented in a prototype system designed for exploring a variety of personal data including photographs, GPS histories, Tweets, and the number of steps people walk.