What is smart city technology?
- Smart city technology includes sensor-enabled devices, analytics software and a variety of user interfaces that enable cities to capture vast amounts of data, convert it to actionable information and deliver it to citizens and city employees in ways that can improve services and enhance quality of life.
- The benefits of deploying smart city technology may include improving public safety, reducing traffic congestion, minimizing energy consumption, lessening environmental impact, shortening commutes times, providing access to digital education tools, and making it easier for citizens to engage with city government.
City governments throughout the country are deploying smart city technology that can significantly improve the way municipalities do business and enhance the quality of life for citizens. But exactly what is smart city technology, and how is it revolutionizing management of urban environments? This brief introduction to “What is smart city technology?” provides a quick overview of the technology that is transforming cities throughout the world.
What is smart city technology?
Smart city technology typically involves four layers of infrastructure:
- Sensors and sensor-enabled devices that can collect data on everything from energy usage and water management to traffic patterns and parking spots to climate conditions, pollution and critical structures like bridges and power plants.
- A fast network with high bandwidth to connect these devices and convey the vast amounts of data they produce.
- Analytics software platforms that collect the data, analyze it and produce actionable information.
- Interfaces that provide city employees with data that can help improve the efficiency and quality of city services, and that provide citizen users with information they require to conduct their daily business.
What is smart city technology designed to do?
The purpose of smart city technology is to harness the power of data and analytics to improve public safety, reduce the usage and cost of energy, minimize traffic congestion and carbon emissions, allow citizens to engage with their government more successfully and satisfactorily, and generally improve the quality and efficiency of city services.
What is smart city technology for intelligent transportation?
Smart city technology for transportation may include:
- Smart parking programs that use sensors, cameras, GPS systems, payment data and algorithms to provide real-time information to drivers on parking availability, to simplify parking payment and to support parking enforcement.
- Smart traffic lights that automatically adapt to real-time congestion and roadway conditions in order to move vehicles along more quickly; that protect pedestrians and bicycles by sensing their presence and communicating it to drivers; and that enable emergency vehicles to move through the city more quickly.
- Connected vehicles programs that allow vehicles to communicate with city infrastructure in order to improve traffic signaling, minimize congestion, adapt street lighting and optimize parking available.
What is smart city technology for energy and utilities?
Smart city technology for managing utilities and energy infrastructure includes:
- Smart waste management technology that alerts sanitation crews when trash or recycling bins need to be emptied.
- Smart water management equipment that helps to identify leaks and reduce wasted resources.
- Smart grid technology that delivers electricity to businesses and homes more efficiently.
- Smart lighting solutions that improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings and public spaces.
- Smart buildings that monitor lighting, HVAC and security systems to reduce energy consumption and improve environments.
What is smart city technology for public safety?
Municipalities managing public safety more effectively with smart city technology that includes:
- Police wearables that provide transparency and help build trust by documenting interactions between citizens and community officers.
- Monitors for critical infrastructure like bridges and power plants that can proactively identify potential issues.
- Visual surveillance that can help law enforcement to identify and apprehend criminals.
- Data security measures that protect sensitive data of citizens.
- Monitoring of climate and pollution data to reduce environmental impact.
- Drone monitoring to document conditions and support first responders by monitoring crowds, traffic, construction sites and disaster areas.
What is smart city technology for civic engagement?
Smart city technology for promoting citizen engagement includes:
- Smart kiosk technology installed in public places that can provide citizens and visitors with access to information, free Wi-Fi, charging stations, wayfinding and emergency services.
- Digital government platforms that enable citizens to easily, safely and securely interact with local government services from any Internet-connected device.
- Digital education tools that enable students to connect to learning resources.
What is smart city technology from Spectrum Enterprise?
Spectrum Enterprise provides the digital infrastructure that powers smart city technology. With continual investments in new technologies and network infrastructure, Spectrum Enterprise today offers a two-way fully interactive digital network, Wi-Fi hotspots across the nation, one of the country’s largest LTE cellular networks, gigabit connections to homes and businesses, and 100 Gbps connections for city governments and other large institutions.
Learn more about Spectrum Smart Cities at www.spectrumsmartcities.com.