The Atrai Bikes project aimed to support urban planning by involving citizens, businesses and local governments in the systematic collection and analysis of bicycle infrastructure data. The two-year project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the São Paulo Research Foundation, FAPESP in Brazil, is a joint effort of three organizations: re:edu and 52°North in Münster, Germany, and the Cordial Institute in São Paulo, Brazil.

A key component of the project’s objectives, the integration of hardware technology from the open source senseBox:bike project and a web-based analysis platform has been accomplished. The infrastructure (see Software below) provides insights into parameters such as distance to car traffic, vibration levels, temperature fluctuations and particulate matter concentrations. These insights are invaluable to various stakeholders and provide a comprehensive understanding of the urban cycling experience and enable Stakeholders to enrich discussions with city offcials.

The data collected is carefully stored and visualized using the openSenseMap solution, an open-data platform enhanced with a web-based analysis component with GeoAI tools. This technology not only enables cyclists to make informed decisions about their routes, but also allows businesses to optimize logistics and governments to improve cycling infrastructure and understand cycling flows.

A robust Citizen Science approach complements this technological innovation. Workshops held in both Münster and São Paulo engaged participants, deepened their connection to the project and strengthened their skills and motivation. This joint effort not only enriches the user experience, but also advances the sophistication of the software analyses, bringing significant advances to urban cycling environments. Despite its original scope, Atrai Bikes has expanded beyond its initial focus. New campaigns were initiated in Wiesbaden, Arnsberg and Greifswald.

In addition, our team developed the OpenSenseMapToolbox: a Python-written tool to download and store OpenSenseMap data for easy end-user implementation.