In the concern of technological advancement, IoT or Internet of Things has given and received a major boost. This refers to the many digital devices that are currently moving their way up in the world. Today, we’re going to talk about IoT Smart City in detail.
IoT has a strong association with web development and other advancements. And many programmers use the IoT framework to create an IoT Smart City.
Role of IoT in Smart Cities
Big regions can use IoT technology to improve various parts of their infrastructure and communal area.
To specify, such devices allow regional heads to control and monitor things easily, using the internet to communicate. Such technologies are useful around the world and are specific to sensors and similar devices.
Indeed, with how widespread the uses are, and the unlimited region it can encompass, using the Internet of Things for Smart Cities is valid. With its help, one can ensure the citizens are safe and enjoying a good infrastructure. Plus, there is lesser pollution and traffic in cities.
What Is A Smart City?
An IoT Smart City utilizes different forms of IoT devices to collect and analyze data. Some of the things that such devices derive the data from are meters, lights, and any connected sensors.
These technological cities undergo massive advancement in terms of public utilities, infrastructure, and other such services. Any iot app development company can help you in this regard.
People in charge of handling the operations of the city use the data they gather to access user needs and problem areas.
With the help of the internet, the city handlers can directly address their citizens too and understand what they require. Plus, they can keep a note on what is going on around the region, and ensure proper development.
Why There Is A Need Of Smart City?
More than 68% of the people today live in urban areas, and it would keep growing with time. Alongside this, the population is growing too, and many people are focusing on area development or displacing to cities.
In fact, estimates show that within the next thirty years, at least 2.5 billion more people would start living in cities. Owing to this, it is important to improve the economic, social, and environmental conditions with a bigger expansion.
In this concern, the need for IoT Smart Cities is visible, and many developers and individuals focus on it.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda was brought forward at the United Nation in the concern of growing urbanization. 193 countries agreed to it but the development planning and the pace of it were relatively slower than planned.
Not only does an IoT Smart City help with improving the quality of life, but also expands on pre-existing features. One of the most important concepts in this concern is the main connective control system that works on Cloud.
Additionally, these are good for the ecosystem too, like using the natural power of solar energy to power things.
There are countless ways in which the Smarter Cities Solutions help the citizens as well. Like, streetlights that can notice parking spots and alert drivers looking for one.
Some bright LEDs warn people regarding disaster situations too, like heavy storms or traffic problems. Thus, a smart city is helpful in many ways including giving space, living conditions, and much more.
Components Of Smart City
With a growing population all over the world, the consequences are seen in the ecosystems. In this concern, an IoT Smart City is a good choice as it consumes lesser resources and is also eco-friendly. There are certain components to this, and they are:-
CyAM
The CyAM or City Air Management Tool is a software suite that is cloud-based, developed by Siemens. The algorithm of this works with a neural network (artificial), and that makes the weather predictions.
This includes a dashboard, on which you would receive the information regarding how the air-quality is and the pollution level.
When wondering What Technology Do Smart Cities Use, this one is highly helpful and it provides 90% accurate real-time forecasts.
The CyAM is good in calculating what the forecast emissions would show for the next 3-5 days. There are 17 measures in this that it uses to calculate the weather pattern for the upcoming days.
Due to this, there will be many consequences like speed limits assigned, low-emission zones introduced, and inexpensive public transport.
Smart Infrastructure
Investing in self-propelled cars and electric vehicles would cut down on the CO2 levels. That is what the Smart City Applications focus on, and the consumers should abide by.
Plus, a great part about the infrastructure of the smart cities is that it uses advanced technologies. These, in turn, try to be energy-efficient and eco-friendly. That’s where IoT Open Source Frameworks can come really handy.
Another great concern about the IoT Smart Cities is that they try to continuously improve and change themselves. There is a higher need of using digital technology to make buildings in urban areas more sustainable and energy-efficient.
Also, this infrastructure comes with smart lighting features, in order to save electricity and power. These lighting features automatically switch off or adjust brightness levels as an alert.
Smart Parking
Another of the good Smart City Examples in regard to the components is the smart parking factor. Using the sensors on the road, the drivers receive a report on their phone about the nearest parking space.
This component is not expensive either, which makes it ideal for smart cities of various locales and sizes. Someone driving would get feedback too from other people in the lane, and make easier parking decisions.
Traffic Management
One of the most important components of an IoT Smart City is the traffic management conditions. This is not easy in bigger cities as traffic congestion is more likely to occur on the roads.
But in a smart city, the traffic management feature includes sensors on the pavement that would send you real-time alerts.
Not to mention, these smart sensors would predict the traffic patterns too, depending on past traffic conditions.
Waste Management
Another good and useful feature of an IoT Smart City is the efficiency it uses in waste management too. It can reduce operational costs, and one way this is possible is because the waste collectors receive alerts of full bins.
Therefore, when there is a half-empty container, waste collectors do not have to get down and collect them. They would do so when they receive the notification that the waste bin, otherwise they drive by.
This is very good for saving fuel as well. The main reason that this works is because of the sensors that are present on the smart bins.
How To Secure Smart Cities?
It is true that smart road systems, monitoring systems, GPS-tracking systems, connected cameras, etc., improve one’s lifestyle.
However, with so many personal information syncing to the cloud, it leaves you vulnerable to data theft, hacking, etc. You need to be aware of IoT Security Challenges in detail.
Thus, it is crucial to safeguard the Smart Cities Internet of Things, and there are many ways to do so. Overall, there are four phases to focus on- integrity, availability, accountability, and confidentiality.
- Integrity- An IoT Smart City relies on data, and it is important that it is correct and reliable information. While focusing on security, that is one matter to consider and ensure that the data is not changed.
- Availability- While the data is important to protect, it is also necessary to ensure that you can access it when needed. For an IoT Smart City to work it is supposed to, one should focus on the collection and sharing process.
- Accountability- While the system software should ensure safety and security, it is also the users’ responsibility to stay vigilant. Thus, they should themselves make sure not to let others use their login ID and other such user-specific points.
- Confidentiality- A lot of the data that is shared comes from the users’ phones. And these devices contain a lot of private details, like sensitive personal messages, financial details, etc. When using the Smart City Examples, you should make sure that no third-party can breach it.
To make sure that your system is safe, use the help of ID management-centric solutions and high-end authentication features.
When these are present in the ecosystem, the data is more secure and identification is easier. Plus, they also safeguard the backend systems.
Smart City Architecture & Infrastructure
When creating new buildings and houses, a lot of the building managers wish to use Smart City Applications.
Using IoT solutions and devices, one can improve the quality and features of the buildings. Not to mention, such approaches are not too expensive either, making it a safe choice. The IoT Applications and Examples are proof of that.
More than half of the total building managers in the US alone know the need for IoT, with a majority of them already using it.
Many developers believe that a huge portion of building development and operation would improve within a few years through smart cities.
For example, one of the main areas where the Internet of Things for Smart Cities would work well is the lighting features. This would replace the use of LED bulbs, thereby saving energy and cost.
One of the main areas of concern that is common for smart cities is the use of smart grids. This infrastructurally and the architecturally thought-out system help to conserve resources.
For example, people in the European Union have started using Smart City Applications like IoT gas meters and electricity meters.
Examples Of IoT Smart City Infrastructure
Like heating appliances, building managers also see a need to improve upon elevators using IoT. While these are very helpful applications in building planning, most elevators do not run fast enough.
Due to this, people wish to utilize IoT technology to make elevators faster and safer. Allied Market Research predicted in 2015 that the market for smart elevators would rise from $12 billion to $23 billion within 5 years.
As for smart grids, Amsterdam has considered using solar panels and storage units in homes by connecting it to them.
This way, these devices in an IoT Smart City would store energy and then use them later during peak hours. Next, people can also choose to give the excess energy to the smart grid.
IoT Applications & Smart City Projects
In terms of using Smart City Applications, Europe is one of the leading countries in making interesting Smart City projects. In fact, the entire European Union urges the member nations to create and use smart city benefits.
Subsequently, the European Commission has kept 365 million euros aside to help facilitate this planning. Thus, Amsterdam is not the only example for IoT Smart Cities in this continent, although it is a notable one.
In Copenhagen, there is a bike traffic tracking program that uses sensors to see where the traffic is lesser. This gives the rider an easier view of the routes, in real-time. Also, it ensures faster travel and more safe commute throughout the city.
One of the major cities where Smart City projects that have seen improvement over the years is in Paris. Under this, Autolib grew in popularity after it started in 2011, and has around 3,000 vehicles and counting.
It is an electricity-based car-sharing program that uses GPS in a phone for tracking. Plus, there is the facility to reserve a parking space beforehand too displayed on the car’s dashboard.
In London, there is a similar IoT Smart City automobile service project, aimed towards finding parking spots easily. This way, drivers can easily and quickly find a place to park at, and not get stuck in congested traffic.
Smart City Projects
Other projects that have grown popular in this city are bike-sharing programs and electric cars, both using Smart City Applications.
As for North America, it is a very advanced country, but in terms of the smart city approach, not too advanced.
Yet, there are many cities that this feature has helped in improving customer lifestyle and ensuring their safety. For example, in New York City, there is a connected program for cars for safer driving.
The device notes down information in case of sharp turns and hard brakes. And the city officials use that data to make changes.
Moreover, for safety regulations, there is a gunshot detection technology in many parts of NYC for the city police department. These places include Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Camden (New Jersey).
Another American city for good Smart City Examples is San Diego. To safeguard those walking by the road and to avoid traffic accidents, IoT technology reroutes cars during the peak periods.
The street lights have cameras that record pedestrian and car traffic. With this data, officials can look at traffic situations throughout the cities.
Innovation In Smart City
It is expected that many innovations would come about after investing in IoT Smart Cities. And so, the estimated amount that would go behind this development globally by 2027 is around $2.8 Trillion.
Police officers would get devices that can give them information in real-time for correct assessments. Also, one can access data easily regarding the smart cities and government, and communicate better with cars.
The Global CAGR from 2021 to 2028 period is expected to grow by 23.3%. With the Internet of Things for Smart Cities, you would get smarter platforms for cities, that calculate pollution and traffic levels.
The Global CAGR for the same time duration for this is 23%, which in turn is equivalent to smart trash collection features. With this, waste collectors can find out the waste level in smart bins; and they run on sensors and sunlight.
The Future Of IoT & Smart Cities
It is true that IoT Smart Cities are the next big thing for humankind and the applications of it would only keep growing.
There are many regions and sectors that would see the changes and profitable effects in the future. Plus, with more cities understanding and accepting the uses of such advancement, the possibilities would keep expanding.
Currently, smart cities work with a variety of networks and they fit with each other evenly and effectively. And the LPWAN technologies are very useful in the concern of maximum Smart City Applications.
While these work well now, advancement into 5G connectivity in the future would only improve the features and connectivity. It would also push the concept into more mainstream regions, thereby getting customer attention.
What Makes Smart Cities Successful?
There are some specific reasons that enable an IoT Smart City to become successful. These important elements are as follows.
Usually, cities do not share information regarding their planning, and that is the same for many technological programs.
But what makes IoT Smart Cities great is that they integrate with different technologies and allow them to work together. Different sectors share their information together, and that creates a more open system and allows cooperative analyses.
Another good reason why Smart Cities are successful is the security that it includes. The data vaults in this are physical and the authentication features are strong and uniform. There are also solutions for ID management.
An IoT Smart City can work with many different networks, which means many people can use it. The technologies that are most common in devices today are Bluetooth, LTECatM, LoRa, NB-IoT, etc. And most of the applications for Smart Cities work equally well with each of these.
The monetization schemes are flexible in the Internet of Things for Smart Cities, and that contributes to its success.
This is applicable for subscription-based models that allow expenses on software and hardware for a systematic infrastructure. Through this, those who contribute to the business model and the ecosystem can derive value for their efforts.
Examples Of Smart Cities
When it comes to IoT Smart Cities, there are many that have utilized the Internet of Things and improved their infrastructure. Three cities stand out among them as they have invested in many initiatives for their lifestyle and citizens.
Copenhagen
One of the best IoT Smart Cities is Copenhagen, which is focusing on creating a helpful and user-friendly smart biking system. The aim of this is to help out riders find information on the congested routes and adjust accordingly.
Not to mention, the administrators can get this information and they can then monitor the traffic, and reduce traffic accidents and pollution.
The main technology behind this among the Smart City Applications is the sensors. They track and manage the information in real-time, and provide it to the users. For the creation of this application, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a big contributor.
Amsterdam
In the question of most influential and successful smart cities, Amsterdam is a big name. When it started the IoT Smart City plan, it already had 170 projects in line. In the matter of transportation and traffic data, the contribution of IoT technology is most notable.
Specifically, the mapping apps that developers create to allow city-wide navigation. Plus, it has smart delivery boats named Robots, which enables systematic delivery management.
To reduce overcrowding, there is a feature of floating villages, which is both energy-efficient and space-saving. The residents can directly fill their tanks with the river water and generate power as a community.
New York City
When you wonder What Technology Do Smart Cities Use, NYC uses a lot of the varieties in different initiatives. In terms of traffic congestion, the initiative of Midtown in Motion improved the situation by 10%.
Plus, the communication system works well too with the help of LinkNYC’s free and fast WiFi, device charging abilities, etc. Additionally, NYC residents can manage their home-related services like paying rent, outage alerts, etc., using MyNCHA.
Another useful initiative of this IoT Smart City is the NYCx Challenges, which is in a competition format. Tech professionals, technologists, and entrepreneurs can give their best ideas for better conditions in transport, income inequality, and pollution.
The Open Data for All public data report allows students, builders, educators, reporters, etc., to get the data they need for free. In fact, many local agencies contribute to this data compilation.
Conclusion
Indeed, with its many features like advanced and intelligent traffic calculation, weather reports, etc., IoT Smart Cities are greatly helpful.
With the changing dynamics in the world and the higher urbanization speed, it is difficult to keep natural matters healthy. Not to mention, most of the items and buildings in cities are costly to build and emit a lot of harmful wastes.
Comparatively, it is an environmentally friendly and effective city planning option.
With the help of technology, both the citizens and the administrators can maintain good and mutually connected behavior. With time, the dependence on and the need for smart cities would increase, and rightfully so.
Which Applications In Smart City Will Use IoT?
