If there is one area where the Internet of Things is making an impact, it's in the area of Smart Cities. While no city can be labeled as totally "smart," many cities are inching forward and making select investments in order to improve transportation, save energy, improve parking and more. Here are six examples of smart cities in the world today. If you think your city is "smarter" than the six on this list, please comment below and briefly explain why your city should be on the Smart City of the World list.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
has a “smart” operations center which aggregates information from 30 agencies under one roof. The center was conceived after Rio experienced a devastating landslide in April of 2010; the disaster led the city to contact IBM to learn whether big data could aid in predicting and responding to future disasters. The project soon expanded from predicting landslides into the operations center of the City of Rio. The center analyzes historical and real-time data to more efficiently manage multiple city services.
Santander, Spain
has 10,000 sensors located around downtown. They are attached to street lamps, poles, and building walls, and buried beneath the asphalt of parking lots. These sensors collect data on traffic, environmental factors, weather, and people, among other things. A smartphone application makes the data available to citizens, providing real-time transit information, cultural event schedules, tourist and sightseeing information, and retail offers.
Singapore
has developed Land Transport Authority, working in conjunction with with IBM and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to improve public transit use. Singapore’s Infocomm Development Authority has established a Smart Cities Programme Office, and its initiatives are apparent throughout the city. Sensors, cameras, and global positioning system (GPS) devices provide information on traffic, even predicting future congestion and recommending alternate routes. Singapore has implemented congestion pricing, which uses traffic data to adjust toll pricing in real-time.
Songdo, South Korea
is building an information network underpinning the city, with energy use and other essential city services monitored, using algorithms to provide efficiency. This network in turn provides citizens with tools such as video conferencing and a (non-identity linked) smartcard that acts as an integrated credit card, access pass, and house key. Almost any device, building, road, or transit vehicle will be equipped with wireless sensors or microchips. All the data will be collected, analyzed, and monitored in real-time by the central monitoring hub, providing valuable insights into how people work, live, and think within a smart city.
Los Angeles
has attempted to use computer algorithms to predict the location and effects of earthquakes and aftershocks. Researchers also found that the algorithm to predict aftershocks could be used to predict criminal activity. This idea gave birth to PredPol (Predictive Policing), a computer-based program that determines potential crime areas. After using PredPol in a test neighborhood of Foothill, officials found a 13 percent decrease in crime during the first four months due to an increased police presence in potential crime areas.
Boston
has established an Office of New Urban Mechanics to find innovative solutions to city problems. Beyond that purpose-oriented office, many Boston agencies have been proactive in using new ICT tools. Smart Parking is an application used to decrease vehicle idle time while parking. ShotSpotter, used by the Boston Police Department, determines the location of gun shots. Smart Rapid Transit involves closely monitoring subway stations via video cameras as well as sensors that detect movement as well as the presence of biological weapons. GHG Emission Tracking uses sensors on top of high-rise buildings to track and detect greenhouse gas emissions. StreetBump is a mobile application that uses cellular phones to determine the location of potholes
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