smart cities
Interactive kiosks are one highly effective ways
in which many regions are choosing to rollout
smart city programs
By Will Pymm, RedyRef Interactive – www.redyref.com
If you asked ten people to define what
smart cities are, you’d probably get
10 different answers. That’s partially
because the idea of a truly intelligent
city is still so relatively new. It’s also
because it depends much on who is
being asked.
For example, a smart city, to a
city manager may mean one that is
connected and able to collect and
transmit data about a variety of
different subjects; from real-time
reporting of environmental information
– pollution – to traffic initiatives – red
light cameras, speed zones – to the
statuses of trains and buses within the
public transportation system.
However, a city resident might
define smart cities more simply as those
that have deployed interactive kiosks
that provide wayfinding and public WiFi
access. But ask the mayor, and they
may consider a smart city to be one that
has integrated aspects of e-governance,
including enhanced communication
with residents and streamlined access
to city services.
What factors create a smart city?
Beyond the personal definitions of
participants and adopters of smart
city technology, there’s actually some
agreement in the academic community
about what makes smart cities, smart.
And while it’s still fairly broad, it does
provide a basic framework from which
many urban planners are operating.
According to an article in the Journal
of Intelligent Buildings International:
‘From Intelligent Cities to Smart Cities’ by
Deakin & Al Waer, there are four factors
that are of particular importance:
1
2
3
4
The application of a wide range of
electronic and digital technologies
to communities and cities
The use of Information and
Communications Technologies
(ICTs) to transform life and working
environments within the region
The embedding of such ICTs in
government systems
The territorialisation of practices
that bring ICTs and people
together to enhance the innovation
and knowledge that they offer
In plainer terms: smart cities integrate
technology into government systems
to enhance the quality of life of people
working and/or living in the region.
This ultimately helps to bring people
together so that they may share
knowledge more easily. n
KIOSK solutions 37