A smart city refers to an urban setting that utilizes the novel phenomenon known as the Internet of Things or IoT. There are IoT sensors in the town that serve to obtain data. This data is further used for generating insight into the efficient management of resources within the setting.
You heard it right; smart cities are the next big thing! That is why several entities have emerged that offer information and training for people interested in this phenomenon. One of these useful courses is known as Beyond Smart Cities: Emerging Design and Technology course. It is a great course and offers many insights into the concept of a smart city.
In a smart city, data is collected from various sources, including the people residing in the cities, the devices being used, and the assets registered and mentioned within the setting.
The raw data thus received is further processed and analyzed for managing utilities, power distribution, policing, and providing other essential community services.
SMART CITY SOLUTIONS
Technological advancements over the past few years have transformed the lives of everyone on this planet. The smart city concept is a revolutionary idea that will fundamentally amend our current lifestyles. Businesses are putting more emphasis on digital transformation with the help of technology so that their operations could become more and more efficient. It also holds for those business entities that are involved in traditional commerce and trade. These entities are also using technology in a very constructive manner.
Not to be left behind, governments and municipal authorities have also started exploring ways of using technology for efficient management of urban systems. In this context, the internet of things (IoT) offers a novel means for real-time data collection and using that data for making swift decisions.
It is not easy to set up a smart city. It calls for intelligent thinking and even quicker implementation. Collaboration between all the stake-holders is necessary along with technical expertise, experience, and an innovative perspective.
In the article below, we will discuss a few tips for implementing smart city solutions.
COMPREHENSIVE DATA, AS THE KEY
Data is the most crucial aspect of a Smart City project. The management of the city will only be as good as the data gathered through different sources within the city. The first and foremost requirement is knowing what kind of data you would be needing. How are you going to obtain that data? And how will it be processed and analyzed? Another key aspect of urban planning and solution is keeping the history of the city intact since people living in a particular area are connected emotionally with its past.
The smart city solution must confirm the historical trends while simultaneously being resilient enough to integrate a myriad of technological measures. It will ensure its stability and survival in the long run.
Storing data is also a big problem. A modern car will be transmitting terabytes of data within a single day. All of this data is not useful. You need to understand which information is valuable and has to be stored, thereby deleting the unnecessary files.
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ASSEMBLING THE STRUCTURE OF THE SMART CITY WITH NETWORKING
Without a doubt, data is the basis of any smart city project. However, networking is the structure that allows the building of a great city over this foundation.
The thing about data is that it is almost useless in its raw form. It only becomes useful when you can organize it accurately and retrieve all the information that is useful for you. Moreover, accessible and swift data gathering from all over the network is also an essential aspect of the smart city project.
To comprehend the mechanics and the scale of the project, it is advisable to review other projects that are similar in complexity.
Large stadiums can serve as excellent examples of such complexities. They seat thousands of people within the same space at the same time. When these stadiums are full to their maximum capacity, the cellular phone networks in the area are unable to support the connectivity of such large crowds.
To increase capacity and provide service networks would set up ‘Distributed Antenna Systems’ or DAS, supported by several low-capacity antennas. Such systems and other enhanced connectivity elements serve as the backbone of the Smart City
ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF IOT CONNECTIVITY
Modern urban life is anything but peaceful. The biggest challenge faced by Smart City projects is the creation of an environment that facilitates swift decision-making that should match the current hectic urban lifestyle. The solution to this problem will require an in-depth understanding of the IoT-enabled devices and how they will be able to connect. Moreover, the requirements of different IoT devices will be very different from each other. For example, the sensor installed inside a water reservoir only needs to be activated when the water level becomes low. On the contrary, the sensor at a busy traffic intersection must be activated and working throughout the day.
You will also need to find out ways of bringing constant power to all those IoT devices that require electricity. You will also need to provide bandwidth to these devices so that they can rely upon their data continuously to the hub.
Constant connectivity is one of the aspects of the Smart City that is at the core of the entire project. The solution is to design an efficient network that removes every hindrance faced by the devices in sending their constant messages to the hub.
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FINAL WORD
Smart City projects are those tasks that can become exceptionally widened as they start unfolding. Moreover, the scope of the project is gigantic. It is incredibly complex and can easily discourage anyone who is involved in it.
The most crucial factor is to divide the big project into several smaller ones and to focus on the successful completion of those small projects.
Remain focused on the main task, i.e., providing value to the people living inside a Smart City. The tips shared above only serve as an initial point from where you can start looking for smart city solutions. It is a very vast subject, and you can learn further as you go along the way.
