Publication Date

Spring 2023

Degree Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Computer Science

First Advisor

Navrati Saxena

Second Advisor

Katerina Potika

Third Advisor

Abhishek Roy

Keywords

Ride-share, mapping technology, degrees of separation, social connections, strength of ties

Abstract

Conventional ride-sharing services, such as Lyft and Uber, routinely match drivers with riders based on their proximity to each other, using GPS coordinates and mapping technology. The application then calculates the cost of the ride based on factors such as distance traveled and time spent in the car. The concept of six degrees of separation suggests that a maximum of 6 steps or relationships can connect any two individuals in the world. This idea could be applied to a ride-share service to provide a more personalized and efficient experience for users. Instead of just matching riders with drivers based on proximity, the app could take into account the social connections between users. The motive of this paper is to develop an algorithm that is capable of allocating rides based on the strength of ties.

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