What Is A Smart City?
A smart city is an urban environment where various types of electronic methods and sensors are used to collect data. Insights extracted from this data are used to manage properties, resources and services efficiently; in return, this data is used to enhance operations around the city. This involves data obtained from residents, devices, buildings and properties that are then processed and analyzed to track and control traffic and transport systems, power plants, utilities, water supply networks, waste, crime detection, computer systems, schools , libraries, hospitals and other community services.
The smart city concept incorporates information and communication technology (ICT) and various physical devices connected to the IoT network to improve the efficiency of city operations and services and engage with citizens. Smart city technology enables city authorities to communicate directly with both society and city infrastructure and to track what is happening in the city and how the city operates. ICT is used to improve the quality, performance and interactivity of urban services, minimize costs and resource use, and increase interaction between people and governments. Smart city applications are designed to handle urban flows and provide real-time responses.[8] A smart city can therefore be more prepared to respond to challenges than a mere ‘transactional’ relationship.
To understand what a smart city is, it is important to know that “smart” in this sense is not an attribute that defines the city, but rather a tool.
“Smart” defines the capacity of the city to create well-being for its people. But it’s not just about how people profit from the government’s programs. Valuing community engagement is a core aspect of a smart city.
It’s based around the idea that people are building a city, not the other way around. Using this app to gather data in real time on all sorts of things, including traffic, air and water quality, and solar radiation. With this knowledge, the government can act instantly to solve almost any problem.
Some of the best-known uses of this method include installing street sensors that detect items like vacant parking spaces and traffic delays, predicting how long the next bus will take to get there, and monitoring air and water quality. There are others that fix environmental concerns, such as sensors that detect the number of pedestrians. Sensors will minimize the amount of street lighting when there are no people around, saving energy.
Governments need a way to organize all information in a meaningful, actionable way to use this data. That’s why Bismart has built bigov Better City Indicators that let you track and visualize data in graphic form so that you can understand trends and patterns easily and quickly.
Barcelona, for example, has developed a new smart bus network that uses data on how people currently use public transport. This new network is more effective and provides 95% of the city’s residents access to a high-performance bus service. The new bus network offers improved and more frequent service. Bus stops are also well linked to other transport networks.
The city also uses GPS sensors to enhance emergency medical services. Traffic lights monitor ambulances and change their output so that emergency vehicles can drive across the city as quickly as possible without causing unsafe situations.
Barcelona, for example, has developed a new smart bus network that uses data on how people currently use public transport. This new network is more effective and provides 95% of the city’s residents access to a high-performance bus service. The new bus network offers improved and more frequent service. Bus stops are also well linked to other transport networks.
The city also uses GPS sensors to enhance emergency medical services. Traffic lights monitor ambulances and change their output so that emergency vehicles can drive across the city as quickly as possible without causing unsafe situations.
Technology Framework
Wired: The physical components of IT systems are crucial to early-stage smart city development. Wired infrastructure is required to support the IoT and wireless technologies central to more interconnected living. A wired city environment provides general access to continually updated digital and physical infrastructure. The latest in telecommunications, robotics, IoT, and various connected technologies can then be deployed to support human capital and productivity.
Hybrid: A hybrid city is the combination of a physical conurbation and a virtual city related to the physical space. This relationship can be one of virtual design or the presence of a critical mass of virtual community participants in a physical urban space. Hybrid spaces can serve to actualize future-state projects for smart city services and integration.
Information city: The multiplicity of interactive devices in a smart city generates a large quantity of data. How that information is interpreted and stored is critical to Smart city growth and security.
Digital: A service oriented infrastructure is required to connect individuals and devices in a smart city. These include innovation services and communication infrastructure. Yovanof, G. S. & Hazapis, G. N. define a digital city as “a connected community that combines broadband communications infrastructure; a flexible, service-oriented computing infrastructure based on open industry standards; and, innovative services to meet the needs of governments and their employees, citizens and businesses.”
Intelligent: Cognitive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, can be trained on the data generated by connected city devices to identify patterns. The efficacy and impact of particular policy decisions can be quantified by cognitive systems studying the continuous interactions of humans with their urban surroundings.
Ubiquitous: A ubiquitous city provides access to public services through any connected device. U-city is an extension of the digital city concept because of the facility in terms of accessibility to every infrastructure.
