How technology is shaping smart cities

Humanity is going urban. Today, more people live in urban areas than ever before, with a whopping 54.293% of the world’s population being concentrated in cities. While this has a number of economic benefits, the mass rural-urban migration has created challenges in terms of resources being spread too thin, and deepened the divide between the rich and the poor. It’s no surprise, then, that more and more countries are working towards creating Smart Cities that leverage internet and communication technologies to elevate the quality of residents’ lives and further economic growth. And as with everything ‘smart’, the one thing that has played an integral role in the development of these cities is technology.

While the impact of innovations like smartphones and the internet is widely known, up-and-coming developments like blockchain, artificial intelligence and augmented reality are playing key roles in shaping Smart Cities, and here’s how:

e-Governance
Even the most well-planned cities and countries can crumble if they aren’t backed by good governance, which, in an increasingly digital world, is synonymous with e-governance.

The benefits of e-governance are perhaps best illustrated in the case of Turkey, where the social assistance platform is used by 16 public institutions and has been found to save time and resources, in addition to boosting transparency and accountability.

mHealth
Too many people lose out on access to high quality healthcare because of geographical distance. Fortunately, the advent of mHealth is bringing people virtually closer to top-notch practitioners and facilities at the click of a button.

Healthcare helplines, e-diagnostics, mobile applications that bring medication and practitioners to a patient’s doorstep, and medical records stored on the cloud are some of the innovations revolutionising healthcare.

Open Education
Education is one of the tenets of a Smart City, and technology is revolutionising the way people learn.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have made lessons and professors from the world’s leading universities available to anyone with an internet connection. And that’s not all. Their voluntary nature means MOOCs help people develop and hone skills beyond what conventional education has afforded them, fostering a culture of lifelong learning.

Open Data Initiatives
So far, governments have rightfully kept data about their citizens closely guarded. And while individuals’ security and privacy are of the utmost importance, open data initiatives are gaining popularity across the globe.

Not only do they increase transparency in the functioning of a government, but innovators and academics can also learn from this data and use it to improve operations in their city.

Drones
The first thing that springs to mind when people talk about the role of drones in a Smart City is security. While that is invaluable, the applications of aerial surveillance technology are much more far-reaching.

Most notably, the West Central Railways in India recently deployed drones to inspect rail track conditions and alert them when maintenance is required. In the future, drones are also going to be used to conduct inspections, monitor projects and run rescue operations, among much more.

Cloud Computing
Big data is the backbone of a Smart City. But big data means big storage.

Fortunately, the cloud offers the ideal solution for big data storage, without compromising on computing speeds. It also saves organisations the cost of computers and servers that would otherwise be required just to store and process the data, and ensures maximum collaboration and connectivity between different organisations.

Blockchain
Increased connectivity has plenty of benefits, but it also poses a threat to users’ data security and privacy. This makes it imperative for cities to incorporate blockchain technology into their operations.

A secure, decentralised mechanism, blockchain is also a powerful ledgering tool, which can be used in conjunction with artificial intelligence to ensure constant improvements to a Smart City.

Internet of Things
Devices collect and generate a wealth of data, some of which loses significance in the time it takes to filter and communicate it. The solution? The Internet of Things (IoT), through which connected technologies communicate with each other without any human intervention.

Currently, some of its most groundbreaking uses are seen in the manufacturing sector. However, IoT can also be used to monitor and reduce energy usage, prevent traffic jams, and track the structural health of buildings.

Augmented Reality
Infrastructure forms the literal groundwork of a Smart City. Despite this, the pace and safety of city planning and construction leave something to be desired.

Augmented reality, which superimposes media in the physical world, can help make construction faster, safer and more efficient by increasing the safety of workers and the accuracy of city plans.

Big Data
All the technologies and innovations listed above finally culminate in Big Data, the real value of which lies in its analysis.

When used right, big data can help predict disease outbreaks, prevent accidents, increase efficiency and reduce traffic congestion.

Artificial Intelligence
A Smart City generates a volume of data that is, at times, too large to be pored over by humans.

This is why some of big data’s most revolutionary applications are in conjunction with artificial intelligence and machine learning, which analyse data and flag up any patterns and abnormalities in it.

The Road Ahead

In the end, for the technology to be able to do its part in creating Smart Cities, it is integral for these innovations to be uniform, interoperable and inclusive. None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for a set of standards and regulations developed specifically with the information technology (IT) sector in mind.

Too many times, it is differing standards that pose the biggest hindrance. Fortunately, the Bureau of Standards (BIS), India’s national standards body, works closely with lawmakers, consumers and industry experts to formulate IT standards that ensure consumers’ data security and privacy, while ensuring the best customer experience possible.

In fact, BIS is in the process of preparing national standards that will serve as a “Unified, Secure & Resilient ICT Backbone for Smart Cities”. These standards, if implemented in Indian Smart Cities, shall enable the optimisation of information & communication technology infrastructure. Additionally, they will help bring down the total cost of ownership, in terms of capital and recurring expenditure, in the upcoming Smart Cities.