Victoria Burroughes - The Role of Internet of Things in the Future of Smart Cities

Editor's Notes

1. OVERVIEW How can we use IoT to enhance our communities lived experience of our towns and cities? We’re going to use one of the most advanced countries in the world in terms of technology integration in every day behaviour, to explore ways that technology can enhance our lives and protect our most vulnerable citizens. We’ll also talk about some of the potential pitfalls and things to keep in mind as you start to see devices and technology make its way into our lives.
2. WHAT IS IoT? Internet of Things is a term coined when the internet made the leap from inhabiting only a designated terminal…0 …to devices that include sensors, processing ability, software etc etc; devices that share that data with other systems, to improve and enhance our lives. If you have a smart meter at home, that’s IoT.
3. WHAT IS IoT? Any device that is connected to the internet and can transmit data is IoT. This includes everything from smart fridges that let you know when you’re run out of milk to the wearable fitness trackers we all know so well. You might also hear “smart devices”, “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, “Industry 4.0”, “Intelligent systems”, “Machine to machine communication (M2M)”, “Web of Things”… the list goes on.
4. Let’s talk about SONGDO Songdo is a “built-from-scratch” city “Build it and they will come…” Songdo, South Korea, was designed as a completely sustainable, high-tech city, that would plan for a future without cars, without pollution, and without overcrowded spaces. To be everything that Seoul wasn’t.
5. BUILT ON WASTELAND Some of the world’s most advanced urban technology was used in it’s construction - streets lined with sensors that monitor energy usage and traffic flow. Homes are operated by mobile apps that control everything from heating and air conditioning, to artificial light levels.
6. BORROWED ELEMENTS NY’s Central Park NY’s grid system Canals Singapore’s pocket parks Sydney opera house-style Performing Arts centre
7. Instant feeling of familiarity. Let’s look at a few of the things that makes Songdo a world leader in this area:
8. SMART TRASH In Songdo, trash chutes in buildings are smart have made conventional street collection redundant S. Korea has schemes that calculate the weight of food waste automatically and charges citizens for wastage based on the results - potentially 20% reduction in food waste Trash for cash Unintended side effect of increased littering, as there are no curbside bins or pick ups
9. DISEASE CONTROL UV handrail sanitisers Anti-viral films and screens in elevators and on public transport Bus shelters and public benches have built in air purifiers
10. SMART TRANSPORT Enclosed bus shelters with UV sterilisers, air purification and temperature controls Integrated charging and heating powered entirely by solar Smart pedestrian crossings
11. SMART TRANSPORT iMOD bus - a “call bus” For multiple people or groups to travel to places that are not services by conventional bus routes Summon a bus via your smartphone an on board computer to plot the most efficient route There are also car parks with robot parking and self-driving shuttles
12. EMERGENCY RED BUTTON Korea has implemented ‘red button’ emergency systems which the public can use to call for help The button connects the caller to a control centre, where operatives can monitor the local CCTV and dispatch officers, as well as speak directly with the caller
13. INTEGRATED OPERATIONS CENTRE This feeds into integrated operations centres, which monitor activity 24/7 Following a crime, the cameras can be used to swiftly identify people who fit the description of the perpetrator
14. PRIVACY CONCERNS They utilise smart surveillance, with thousands of integrated CCTV cameras which are connected to algorithms that can detect based on: Gender, clothing or age Car makes and models or registration plates Intention to keep citizens safe vs, privacy concerns People have reported cameras following them while ‘dancing’ in the street - the technology itself is designed to detect ‘unusual’ movement
15. MACHINE LEARNING One of the comment pitfalls associated with machine learning is that the technology is what we call ‘black box’ It is extremely hard to understand the reasoning that an algorithm applies
16. $40B CITY The privately funded project totals over $40 billion dollars in spending so far, and critics have called the city “overdue, overpriced and under populated”.
17. LONELY The harshest criticism may be from those that have called the city lonely. In 2018, Songdo, a city intended for 300,000 inhabitants at the time, had only 100,000. It’s most recent population estimates are just under 170,000. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-22/songdo-south-korea-s-smartest-city-is-lonely
18. HOW DO YOU START TO BRING IOT INTO YOUR COMMUNITIES? Start Small 🌱 Begin with pilot projects in key areas. Test and learn before scaling up.
19. HOW DO YOU START TO BRING IOT INTO YOUR COMMUNITIES? Community Engagement 🤝 Involve citizens in decision-making. Foster collaboration with local businesses and creatives.
20. HOW DO YOU START TO BRING IOT INTO YOUR COMMUNITIES? Prioritize People 🏙️ Place citizens at the heart of urban tech planning. Address real community needs for a better quality of life.