Some smart city ideas have taken a wrong turn, too often emphasizing expensive hardware rather than cheaper solutions using the Internet.
A report released June 18 claims many cities need to reevaluate their “smart city” strategies.
Called Rethinking Smart Cities from the Ground Up, the report claims that some smart city ideas have taken a wrong turn, too often emphasizing expensive hardware rather than cheaper solutions using the Internet. It also notes that cities are too often showcasing technologically interesting ideas rather than responding to citizen’s real needs. As a result, many smart city ideas have failed to deliver on their promises, resulting in high costs and low returns.
Weiterlesen: Cities Need to Rethink 'Smart City' Strategies, Report Says
Why connecting communities with technology is vital for economic and social vibrancy.
Food, water, shelter and clothing – these four things are often described as human beings’ basic needs. But what about creating communities? Being connected to one another is a fundamental part of the human experience and one could argue necessary for survival, or at least sanity.
Pop culture routinely explores the detrimental effect the lack of community has on us. Whether that’s how to re-establish some semblance of community amid unspeakable horrors in The Walking Dead or watching a person grow increasingly unhinged as The Last Man on Earth, losing our connections to others is one our greatest collective fears.
Now is the time for pilot projects. Cities and local authorities all over the world are experimenting with the use of new information and communication technologies. Apps are guiding motorists to free parking spaces. Street lights are shining more brightly when people pass by. Sensors in garbage cans relay filling levels to garbage collection services. Most smart city solutions have already passed their practical test.
Weiterlesen: Smart City Integration: Why Open IT Architectures are Key (Industry Perspective)
A total of 31 European and Brazilian cities have teamed up to create a new initiative, dubbed Open & Agile Smart Cities Task Force (OASC), designed to make it easier for city councils and startups to improve smart city services. The initiative will be presented at CeBit in Hannover and will be based on the EU-funded Fiware open source platform. Fiware offers cloud-based building blocks that can be used to develop and deploy advanced internet applications for transport, energy efficiency, environmental or e-health services.
Weiterlesen: EU, Brazil cities set up Fiware-based smart city task force
These smart cities will be built along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). The smart cities will be equipped with an array of modern technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT), Machine to Machine communication (M2M) and mobility, and therefore, there can be an increase in demand for new specialist roles in the IT sector. Hence, the job opportunities will also be created.
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