Nathan McGregor, senior vice president, Asia Pacific at Cradlepoint discusses smart cities and the opportunities of IoT
For many years now, we’ve heard predictions that cities would become technological hubs of sci-fi proportions. While few urban areas have transformed themselves into anything as cinematic as Blade Runner, and The Jetsons lifestyle still seems a way off, a wave of advancements and pioneering applications are breathing new life into the Smart City concept.
Read more: AU: Wireless technology helps reinvigorate smart city focus
To help identify and act on current and potential future public safety threats, smart city technology is a critical resource for leaders of city councils.
Modern safety applications, powered by Industrial IoT (IIoT) infrastructure, utilise correlated sensor data from devices like flood monitoring sensors, pole tilt sensors, traffic monitoring sensors and air quality devices to identify trends and predict imminent danger, enabling cities to respond more effectively to ensure community safety.
Read more: AU: How safety is becoming one of the most critical smart city applications
While southeast Queensland is being given a large-scale digital boost, the funding might have better served smaller infrastructure projects.
Earlier this year, the Federal Government announced the South East Queensland (SEQ) City Deal (the Deal). With my interest in smart city developments, I had a good look at this plan.
Read more: AU: Queensland: Digital boost for South East Queensland a good start
Residents, businesses and visitors in Ararat now have access to free public WiFi and a ‘smarter city’, helping to bridge the digital gap by ensuring everyone has access to free internet.
Fast, free public WiFi and high-speed smart city fibre connectivity has been launched in Ararat, thanks in part to a $1.56 million grant through a Victorian Government initiative to improve connectivity in regional Victoria.
Read more: AU: Victoria: Ararat now better connected with free public WiFi
Toowoomba Regional Council’s CBD Smart Parking Project is progressing to the next phase, following the successful commissioning of 194 new smart parking meters across the city centre.
Toowoomba Regional Council’s (TRC) parking regulation team will continue to assist parking users with the new system, but will also move to ensure a higher level of compliance with payment and time limits, ensuring users continue to park safely and lawfully.
Read more: AU: Queensland: Toowoomba smart parking project ready for stage two