With the UK announcing its first local lockdown in Leicester today, such data could help governments going forward to pinpoint where such measures may be necessary to prevent broader spread of the virus.
The method is able to identify the most crowded areas with hustle and bustle, such as a city centre, where asymptomatic carriers have a higher probability of coming into close contact with large numbers of healthy people.
With mobile phone ownership nearly ubiquitous in developed countries, the technique allows tracking of large numbers of device users as they move and gather over time.
The researchers from Colorado State University used what are known as handover and cell selection protocols - the cellular network technologies that allow us to move about freely with our mobile devices without losing service.
Using data collected through these networks they were able to calculate localised population density and mobility, offer real-time updates and...