Helsinki launches real-time crowding heatmap

The City of Helsinki's new Heatmap site shows how busy areas and venues are in real-time to help people plan trips while avoiding crowded areas.

The project aims to improve safety, support the tourism industry and deliver new data for the city.

A colour-coded map, which is updated every minute, has been developed with software company Hypercell, and the city is installing sensors in the centre and other popular tourist areas to detect anonymous Bluetooth signals from devices such as mobile phones.

The signals measure crowd volume, the average time people spend in specific locations, and the movement of crowds within the sensor network.

The trend for tracking busyness in cities vi...