The map contained in this article may not represent the most scientific measurement, given that each street was mapped once by one person, but they had to start somewhere. This is a brilliant idea, though.
I've always been interested in the idea of collecting additional layers of information. Places are associated with emotions and we don't have any good ways of capturing that right now. I can think of several interesting future applications of this concept, given advances in technology and cultural adoption. It would be interesting to look at a map of the city and see where people where most happy, inspired or awed so that you could go there if you're feeling down. You could also get an idea of places to avoid, other than the obvious dark alleys. Law enforcement could map the emotional states of victims and suspects in space to better understand the course of events in a crime, or people could map their daily feelings of anxiety to better understand what triggers their own happiness. Employers could find out what areas of their office cause the most unhappiness (meeting rooms?) and the most relaxation, and potential employees could get an overall gauge of the stress level of a given work environment. It almost seems like something out of Star Trek. Someone pulls out their tricorder and says "We don't know what happened to the last people who beamed down here, but it says they were very anxious and afraid. Set phasers to stun."
There are questions about the general efficacy of measuring brainwaves, but receiving more information is generally a good thing. Biking seems like a good place to start, if only because people are already wearing bulky helmets so recording equipment won't look or feel too out of place. This concept obviously as a long way to go, but there's a lot of potential. Anything that allows people to see the world in a new way can have a big impact, even if it isn't immediately clear how.
There are questions about the general efficacy of measuring brainwaves
I'm afraid this underestimates the case somewhat. As I wrote in another comment, people in the field have been very frank with me in their total distrust of toy systems like Neurosky. Anyone claiming to track moods or mind states right now is hugely overstating their capabilities. I like the idea as much as the next guy, but at the present it's not questionable, it's simply impossible. We don't have the tools or the data with which to adequately apply them.
You are greatly overstating the complaints. It's not impossible at all. These efforts trade precision and control for quantity and real world conditions. That's a very fair trade off and the results remain to be seen and improved upon, not dismissed out of hand.
I've always been interested in the idea of collecting additional layers of information. Places are associated with emotions and we don't have any good ways of capturing that right now. I can think of several interesting future applications of this concept, given advances in technology and cultural adoption. It would be interesting to look at a map of the city and see where people where most happy, inspired or awed so that you could go there if you're feeling down. You could also get an idea of places to avoid, other than the obvious dark alleys. Law enforcement could map the emotional states of victims and suspects in space to better understand the course of events in a crime, or people could map their daily feelings of anxiety to better understand what triggers their own happiness. Employers could find out what areas of their office cause the most unhappiness (meeting rooms?) and the most relaxation, and potential employees could get an overall gauge of the stress level of a given work environment. It almost seems like something out of Star Trek. Someone pulls out their tricorder and says "We don't know what happened to the last people who beamed down here, but it says they were very anxious and afraid. Set phasers to stun."
There are questions about the general efficacy of measuring brainwaves, but receiving more information is generally a good thing. Biking seems like a good place to start, if only because people are already wearing bulky helmets so recording equipment won't look or feel too out of place. This concept obviously as a long way to go, but there's a lot of potential. Anything that allows people to see the world in a new way can have a big impact, even if it isn't immediately clear how.