City Analytics Lab
Who we are
The City Analytics Lab (CAL) is a multidisciplinary research and innovation facility for evidence-based decision-making and collaborative urban planning. We provide a platform for exploring and addressing complex urban challenges through data-driven approaches. Our mission is to support sustainable, productive, liveable, smart, and resilient cities by bringing together researchers, government, industry, and community partners.
CAL advances interdisciplinary research across areas including big data, open data, smart cities, geodesign, modelling & simulation, and innovative data visualisation. By integrating advanced analytics, emerging technologies, and collaborative research, our facility enables the development of practical tools and insights that inform urban planning, policy, and decision-making.
Capabilities
Collaborative Planning Studio
- Visualise large-scale data, models and simulations on an 8-panel media wall.
- Interact and collaborate across six multi-touch workstations.
- Host hybrid workshops, demonstrations, seminars and research activities for up to 35 seated participants.
- Connect personal devices easily with BYOD integration.
- Share documents and images across displays using Idealayer Engine software.
Behavioural and interaction research
Study user attention, gaze pattern, user behaviour and focus of interests across diverse stimuli. UX testing and evaluation to assess usability, engagement and user experience. A remote observation room to enable non-intrusive experiment setup and live monitoring.
Augmented Reality Sandbox
Powered by Monash University's SensiLab's AR Sandbox, The interactive Augmented Reality (AR) Sandbox is an immersive research and visualisation platform that combines real-time terrain sensing with interactive environmental simulations. It transforms physical sand landscapes into digital models, allowing users to explore wildfire spread, wind speed and direction, water flow, geological layers, and the movement of sand in an engaging and intuitive way.
Instruments
-
Tobii Pro Spectrum: Screen-based tracker (for indoor experiments)
Glasses 2: wearable tracker for mobile experiments
-
Hardware: Oculus Rift S x 2 sets.
A set includes:
- 1 x wired VR head mount
- 2 x hand controllers
- 1 x Xbox joystick controller
Software: Meta Horizon link, Unreal Engine 5, Unity
-
Capture movement, gestures and interactions with physical environments.
Part of the AR sandbox system senses the change in depth of physical sand to visualize the simulations. The sensor also has the ability to track hand gestures.
Our people
Fees
Costs are determined on a case‑by‑case basis. Please get in touch to discuss a tailored solution that best matches your individual or organisational requirements.
How to access
To utilise the lab facilities, please enquire before making a booking to have an intro visit to discuss about the utilization and project/research requirements.
-
Enquire via email to cityanalyticslab@unsw.edu.au (regarding technical info/requirements of the instruments).
-
Book an introductory visit at the lab and instrument demonstration.
-
Upon confirming to proceed, we will show how to use the facility with no training required.
Contact us
City Analytics Lab
Room B07,
Basement level,
Anita B.Lawrence Building
Kensington Campus, UNSW Sydney
Email: cityanalyticslab@unsw.edu.au
We like to hear from you. If you have questions, requests or ideas for collaboration, please complete the contact form and we will be in touch within five business days.
Get in touch about your project
We offer a range of services that can be tailored to your needs. Please send us an enquiry to get started.