You might have heard the term “smart city” before — a futuristic, utopian idea that we might see implemented in the foreseeable future. Indeed, some metropolises — like Singapore, Seoul, Amsterdam, Oslo and Tokyo — are already on their way to becoming “smart.”
So, what makes a city smart? That label is still quite abstract and might entail different meanings, but if you go the boring route and actually Google it, you’ll come across this unified definition: an interconnected urban area that utilizes various sensors and other methods to collect data and use it to improve its operations.
Weiterlesen: Smart cities are the future, but they might threaten privacy
Cities should cooperate globally to pool resources, share ideas and explore the best ways to address common challenges
We are used to seeing global governance and big tech companies as the main components of innovation and industrial transformation. However, the role of cities is also crucial if we want to ensure that the transformation process is inclusive, balanced and centered on the quality of life of citizens. After all, it is in the cities that barriers to the flow of elements such as knowledge, technology, talent and capital are broken down and the integration of science and technology with economic and social governance is facilitated.
The first smart cities are already being created, and soon, every one of us can be called smart citizens. Our lives will change, and a mass of new advantages will emerge: fluid and efficient operations of public transportation and competently distributed traffic, low crime rates, process automation, service quality improvement, and much more.
Blockchain for the Privacy of Data Collection
Existing smart city concepts include within themselves a variety of equipment with sensors for collecting data. This could be driverless transportation, drones for the delivery of goods, city cameras for monitoring, automated stoplights, and any other equipment for that matter. This makes the collection of personal data an inevitable fact, which is why it is necessary to prevent this data from being accessed by unwanted third parties.
A number of smart city projects, such as smart traffic and smart lighting, have been underway for some time in cities across the globe.
Technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) are helping to drive many of these projects but, both governments and technology providers still need to overcome numerous technological obstacles as well as develop business models that will be able to deliver a clearer return on investment. So, is a fully interconnected smart city any closer to being realised?
The pandemic is likely to accelerate new IoT initiatives and opportunities for smart innovation. Phil Beecher, President and CEO of Wi-SUN Alliance, looks at the smart city technologies that we can expect to see in the future
Over half (56.2%) of the global population now lives in cities, according to the UN Population Division. By 2050, it’s estimated that around three-quarters of the world’s population will live in cities. Africa and Asia – which already have urban populations bigger in total than those in Europe, Latin America or North America – have been increasing their share of urban dwellers the most in the last 70 years [1].
Weiterlesen: What will post-pandemic smart cities look like?