What is a smart city: What technologies make it smarter

In the constantly changing landscape of urbanization, the notion of a smart city has emerged as a symbol of progress, offering the prospect of reshaping our daily lives, professional activities, and community interactions. A smart city utilizes disruptive technologies to optimize access to urban services, striving to create a more sustainable, efficient, secure, and imaginative living environment. This article investigates the concept of smart cities and examines innovative smart cities technologies that could fundamentally transform the urban living experience.

The Smart City Advantage

Cities that adopt digital initiatives are considered smart cities, as they leverage technology to enhance crucial urban services like transportation, healthcare, public safety, and education, thereby increasing accessibility and efficiency. McKinsey’s research suggests that the incorporation of smart city technology solutions has the potential to substantially enhance key quality of life indicators by 10-30%, paving the way for a transformative change in the way people experience urban living.

Smart Mobility

Smart mobility solutions are the part of smart city technology that target the challenges of traffic congestion, parking scarcity, and environmental impact. By incorporating real-time navigation, smart parking, and innovations like autonomous vehicles and bike-sharing, smart cities aim to make daily commutes more efficient and sustainable.

Examples:

• Smart Bike Rental: In Denmark, Euristiq’s GoBike solution facilitates smart bike rental, managing e-bikes across the country. With over 130 electric bike stations, this initiative reduces congestion and promotes green mobility.
• Smart Traffic Monitoring System: To alleviate traffic congestion and enhance safety, IoT traffic monitoring systems utilize street camera sensors. These systems, as implemented in the UK by Euristiq, collect real-time data, detect incidents, and provide alerts to improve overall traffic management.

Smart Energy

Addressing the colossal energy consumption of cities, smart energy solutions, particularly smart street lighting, stand out. Equipped with sensors, these lights adjust brightness based on movement, saving energy and contributing to a more sustainable urban landscape.

Example:

• Smart Street Lighting: Collaborating with an international electronics manufacturer, Euristiq developed a street lighting control system that allows users to adjust light levels, set schedules, and create lighting patterns. This technology is already in use in cities worldwide, controlling 2 million street lamps and providing real-time data for efficient energy management.

Smart City Healthcare

Smart healthcare applications within smart city technology aim to improve residents’ health and well-being. Wearables, IoT sensors for air pollution monitoring, telemedicine, and AI-powered systems in smart hospitals collectively contribute to lowering disease burdens and improving overall healthcare access.

Example:

• Smart Hospitals: Utilizing AI and machine learning, smart hospitals enhance patient experiences and streamline operational processes. From equipment localization to infectious disease surveillance, these applications contribute to lowering healthcare costs and increasing the quality of life.

Smart City Safety

Safety is a fundamental aspect of the smart city vision, and disruptive smart city technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing security and combating crime. Real-time crime mapping, predictive policing, and smart home security systems, alongside emergency apps, contribute to creating a safer urban environment.

Example:

• Emergency App: Apps like the “Women Emergency Assistance Notification System” (KADES) in Turkey exemplify the potential of smart safety applications. It allows users to send alerts to law enforcement with their exact location, KADES assists in cases of domestic violence, offering a lifeline for those in danger.

The notion of smart cities signifies a revolutionary advancement in urban planning, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to tackle persistent issues and enhance the overall well-being of residents. Embracing digital initiatives not only enhances accessibility and services but also holds the promise of markedly improving crucial quality of life metrics. Illustrated by instances such as intelligent bike-sharing programs, healthcare systems powered by artificial intelligence, and live crime mapping, the progression of smart technologies is transforming the urban environment. This transformation of smart city technology is paving the path for a future in which cities evolve beyond mere centers of activity, becoming interconnected ecosystems that prioritize efficiency, sustainability, and the welfare of their inhabitants.

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