NYC Smart City Testbed programme aims to accelerate the piloting of emerging technologies that tackle major challenges facing government agencies and New Yorkers
New York smart city accelerator programme will enable agencies, private companies and academia to test and evaluate eight pilot technology projects per year.
The New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) has launched the NYC Smart City Testbed programme to streamline and accelerate the process for piloting emerging technologies that tackle major challenges facing local government agencies and New Yorkers.
The programme will allow City agencies, private companies, and academic institutions the opportunity to test and evaluate up to eight pilot technology projects per year before deciding whether to scale them more broadly.
Mitigate local air pollution
The initial round of pilots includes projects using drones to identify building flaws driving greenhouse gas emissions and air quality improvement devices to reduce particulate matter and mitigate local air pollution.
“New York City is where tech innovators from across the globe come to turn their big idea into the next big thing,” said Matthew Fraser, chief technology officer, NYC.
“The NYC Smart City Testbed programme presents an exciting, win-win opportunity for companies and city agencies to collaborate on cutting-edge pilots that leverage smart city technologies to create a better and more equitable future for all New Yorkers. We look forward to the innovative partnerships and solutions this programme will inspire in the months and years ahead.”
The testbed programme will accept applications on a rolling basis for pilots that will primarily operate in the city’s public spaces. Two pilots will be selected each quarter to participate in the programme, which provides access to New York City assets, technical support, partnership, and administrative guidance through the procurement, legal, and/or other regulatory processes.
Through the programme, each participating pilot will receive feedback from city agencies and New Yorkers about the practical benefit of their technology on government and residents. Selected organisations will self-fund the costs of their pilots, which will run for six- to nine months.
“With the launch of the NYC Smart City Testbed, New York City has a new tool to keep up with major advances in urban technology,” said Paul Rothman, director, smart cities and IoT at OTI. “The testbed will enable industry and academia to more easily get their products, services, or research ideas in front of the City’s relevant stakeholders to demonstrate their capabilities and understand how to adapt them to New York City.”
He added: “By piloting emerging technologies, the City can make more informed decisions about which technologies are best equipped to address our challenges as well how to implement them with New Yorkers in mind.”
As part of this autumn’s testbed programme, OTI is partnering with the NYC Department of Citywide Administration Services (DCAS) and researchers from New York University to pilot a novel technology project that can scan buildings using drones and robotics coupled with an amalgamation of technologies to detect failures in building envelopes (exterior walls and roof) that can contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Deep learning and computer vision
This project will combine deep learning and computer vision with thermal imaging, through-wall radar, UAV/drone technology, and robot localisation and mapping to identify structural defects. Building managers can then retrofit their building to increase energy efficiency and help move New York City closer towards meeting its climate goals.
The Testbed’s initial slate of pilots will also feature a collaboration between OTI, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and private partners that focuses on air quality improvement and monitoring. As part of the pilot, the air quality improvement devices and monitors will be deployed in areas of need to measure the real-time air quality, and efficacy of the air quality improvement devices.
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Quelle/Source: Smart Cities World, 13.10.2023
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