Organization and exploration of heterogeneous personal data collected in daily life

Abstract This paper describes a study on the organization and the exploration of heterogeneous personal data that are collected from mobile devices and web services in daily use. Although large amounts of personal data can be collected, it is not easy to find effective methods of reusing these data. With regard to collecting personal data, most lifelog research has focused on the capture of personal logs and personal data archives. Our research focuses on helping users recall and reminisce about past experiences by using an interactive system that enables them to explore personal data from several viewpoints. An organizing structure and a zooming user interface are proposed for an effective exploration of personal data. We also illustrate a digest view that includes a summary of personal data and landmarks that trigger memory recall. A prototype system is introduces for exploring a variety of personal data including photographs, Global Positioning System histories, Tweets, health data, and the number of steps walked per day.