[Today, 54% of the world’s population lives in cities. This figure is expected to reach 66 % by 2050. 80% of Europe is expected to be urbanized by then and the Americas are expected to have reached an even higher level of urbanization. Against this backdrop of rapid urbanization, Smart Cities must continue to perform and engage with citizens. They need to be safe, healthy, attractive and resilient whilst offering inhabitants a sense of community and belonging.] Text Source: United Nations, World Urbanization Trends, 2014
“Traditionally, urban living is associated with a better quality of life and benefits such as better health, higher levels of education and improved access to social, economic and cultural resources and facilities,” explains Dennis van de Meulenhof, Department Head Smart Public Spaces, Philips Research. “However, rapid developments and the changing character of urbanization are making it harder for municipalities to deliver on these promises. If poorly managed, high population density can actually result in decreased quality of life. The growing number of urban residents places more demand for valuable resources such as water, food and fossil fuels. The production of waste, toxins and pollutants is also increasing proportionately.”
Network of sensors
“To make their cities more manageable and livable, officials are increasingly turning to technology. At the same time, citizens are using technologies such as location-based services and social networking tools to navigate the urban environment and take ownership of public spaces. These parallel developments offer exciting opportunities to improve citizens’ quality of life. Typical urban problems that can be tackled this way include mobility, safety, healthcare, resources and energy.”
“As more and more computing devices are equipped with affordable communication capabilities, we can connect everything to everything. According to Gartner, nearly 26 billion devices will be linked to the Internet by 2020. The resulting Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to generate large amounts of data from diverse locations at very high velocity. Smart Public Spaces rely on a network of sensors, processors, actuators and user interfaces that together turn raw data into processed data to effect specific actions or produce meaningful information for various users and stakeholders in the urban environment. Combining area-wide infrastructure and sensors in Smart Public Spaces with, for example, wearable healthcare devices could result in new and improved personal health services. Such solutions can help us create cities that are more efficient, safer, healthier, more inclusive – and ultimately better places to live, play and work.”
Digitally connected eco-system
“Today, we find ourselves on the brink of a new era of technology-driven urban development, for which digital technologies will be a key enabler. Smart Cities are increasingly changing from a physical network of buildings, roads and streets to a digitally connected eco-system of sensors, processing power and actuators; a ‘digital blanket’ over the city. As the global leader in LED and connected lighting, Philips is the lighting specialist in the Internet of Things. For example, Philips’ connected LED lighting for streets and roads in a city enables streetlights to instantly connect over mobile networks to a web-based remote street lighting management system. Remote management of lighting combined with sensors delivers light only where and when it is needed, enabling energy savings up to 70% while ensuring citizen safety.”
