Humanistic GIS Laboratory (HGIS)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1773/53822

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    An Environmental-AI Integrated Recommender System for Parkinson’s Rehabilitation: A Prototype Study in Taiwan
    (2025-09-01) Hsieh, Yung-Chen; Zhao, Bo
    This study presents a prototype Environmental-AI recommender system for Parkinson’s disease rehabilitation. Using Taiwan as a testbed, the system integrates real-time environmental data—including air quality, meteorological conditions, and satellite-derived indices —with individual health data such as symptom logs and wearable outputs. A rule-based engine interprets environmental conditions, while a generative AI model converts combined inputs into plain-language daily recommendations. The system supports both diagnosed Parkinson’s disease patients and high-risk individuals, offering symptom-aware or preventive lifestyle guidance. Simulated user profiles demonstrate how recommendations adapt to varying environmental and personal contexts. Results show the suggestions align with Parkinson’s disease care guidelines and environmental health principles. While promising, the system requires further validation, particularly to address AI hallucination risks and real-world clinical effectiveness. This approach illustrates the potential of combining environmental informatics and generative AI to support personalized chronic disease management.
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    Mapping Urban Heat: Neighborhood-Level Analysis of Urban Developments in King County, 2014–2024
    (2025-08-12) Zhang, William; Zhao, Bo
    This study looks at how the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect has evolved in King County, Washington, over the past decade, from 2014 to 2024. It specifically focuses on how urbanization and new infrastructure developments have affected land surface temperatures (LST). By using high-resolution remote sensing data and spatial analysis tools from Google Earth Engine, the research tracks changes in urban heat across neighborhoods that are undergoing rapid growth. The key areas of focus are expanding residential areas, transportation infrastructure, and the development of satellite cities. The study explores how the increase in impervious surfaces and the loss of vegetation have contributed to rising temperatures, providing concrete evidence of UHI effects in fast-developing areas like Bellevue, West Seattle, and Lynnwood. The findings show that urban sprawl and large-scale infrastructure projects have played a major role in raising local temperatures, with significant consequences for public health and the environment. The study suggests that by incorporating green infrastructure and sustainable design practices, urban planners can take practical steps to reduce UHI impacts and improve climate resilience as cities continue to grow.