We are on the brink of a new age. With the ever advancing temperatures and the increasing access to technology, our world is steadily creating a new era of intermixing tech and nature. The evolution of cities are a product of this change. From the age of ports, to industrial hubs, to tech giants. Now, a new generation of cities are being born — the smart city. But are they living up to their expectations?
People continue to flock to cities for several reasons, such as employment opportunities, lifestyle, and more.
The latest U.S. Census Bureau data showed that all but one of the 20 largest cities in the U.S. experienced population growth last year. And with the exception of New York City, the 15 cities that had the greatest population growth were in the southern and western portions of the country.
Those of you who've heard me rant in person or in prose know that I hammer the need to build integrated, cross-cutting smart cities. No city, not even the wealthiest, can afford to build piecemeal, single-purpose applications department by department. It is essential that departments share infrastructure and share costs.
Andrew Elvish, VP of Marketing and Product Management, speaks to Security News Desk about digital evidence as an approach to create safer cities
Lighting technology is expected to be at the heart of urban life by 2030, helping deliver more sustainable and better-connected smart cities
Masdar, on the edges of Abu Dhabi, was billed as the world’s first sustainable city when it was conceived in 2006. It was intended to be a zero-carbon, zero-waste city, with smart technology embedded across all the city’s functions. A decade on and ambitions have cooled. The completion date has moved from 2016 to 2030 and city authorities have said it won’t achieve the original aim of being a net zero-emissions city.
The smart city industry is projected to be a $400 billion market by 2020, with 600 cities worldwide. Have a look at the top six technologies that make a city work.
Digital Greenwich partners with The University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre to build new technologies to create opportunities for businesses and local communities.
The city of Detroit reduces crime with the launch of Project Green Light, offering round-the-clock video monitoring to city businesses, which pay all related expenses.
By adding more sensors, analyzing more data, and using advanced computer programming to run traffic lights and even vehicles, are smart cities becoming “surveillance cities”?
In what ways can technology make waste smart?
When diverse groups organize, share ideas, and communicate a cascade of benefits is often produced. When there is collaboration between agencies within a city, the integration of resources can make a dramatic impact on a city’s resilience.
More government agencies are using information and communications technologies to create “Smart Cities” and smart buildings in order to improve the quality and interactivity of urban services, while reducing costs and ensuring sustainability.
IDC Smart City team has developed its top 10 predictions for the upcoming year
""Western European cities are a bit further ahead in many of these advanced technologies, but I'd say that the Eastern European cities are picking up very quickly. I believe also that cities that are new and active and growing quickly, they are often pretty good at leapfrogging processes and taking up new ideas quicker – sometimes old cities have difficulties [and] are very conservative.”
What is needed in the words of Cisco's Boorsma, is "vision and true leadership", including the willingness to take risks."
“ "Project Green Light" is expected to be a game-changer for the city's crime-plague gas stations. Eight stations are using their money to put up lights and cameras to stop criminal action at their businesses. They're paying for the hardware and software to send the feed to the Detroit police headquarters.”
“The Video Integration Center is an essential tool that increases the department’s ability to monitor and secure city streets,” said Atlanta Police Chief George Turner. “The VIC is an excellent example of how public and private partnerships can benefit the community, and today’s generous donation is key to identifying and capturing criminals in order to keep Atlanta safe.”
Brussels, Belgium launches a new regionally-encompassing video surveillance system which will manage video from five municipalities. (Note: this article is in French)
City Innovate Foundation: Global city innovators and urbanist meet to discuss technology, open data, citizen engagement and open innovation.
