Sentient Cities have arrived. Problems are noted, intelligent solutions are proposed and the outcome is better quality of life for people living in urban environments…and yes, capital outlay is huge, but it is O! So worth it.
By Archana Khatri Das
High-speed communication networks gather data in real-time and at a granular level, which is processed and analysed with the help of specific apps to arrive at actionable insights.
Cities that have adopted smart city tech are already trying to resolve concerns that its citizens would like to address at the community level, like street parking and managing vehicular traffic, creating smart buildings, improving quality of breathable air, managing street lights, and waste management.
Installations like temperature sensors, water quality sensors, chemical or smoke and gas sensors to gauge the air quality, sound pressure sensors, street light controllers, flood sensors, smart bins etc have proven how optimisation of resources has a transformational impact on quality of life.
Sentient tech has also aided Governments in monitoring the progress of citizens-centric schemes in healthcare, education, public transport, e-governance etc. Cities become sentient when technology enables them to focus on improving any part of the city’s ecosystem at an optimum cost.
A sentient city is determined by the number of digital interfaces installed, the quality of outcomes achieved and the extent to which the quality of life is improved. It also means how the data gathered and analysed helps in optimum utilization of available resources by government agencies, businesses and individuals, contains cost and creates an ongoing communication channel to engage actively and effectively with its citizens.
A sentient city is 24/7 and real-time gathering of data is a continuous process. There are specific embedded devices or mobile sensors which remain connected to the central command and control station and are led by a high-level technology team.
According to a McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) report ‘Smart Cities: Digital Solutions for a More Liveable Future’ published in June 2018, cities that install smart tech reduces crime, increases quality of air, and aids in better transport management by 10 to 30 per cent.
Adoption
According to an ABI Research whitepaper ‘Roles of Smart Cities for Economic Development’ published in 2017, smart city tech may add more than USD 20 trillion in additional economic benefits over the coming decade.
Some major cities who are steaming ahead with smart tech include Singapore, San Francisco, Montreal, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Madrid, Stockholm, London, New York, San Francisco, Dubai, Singapore, Hamburg, Nice, San Jose, New York, Vienna, Melbourne, Ecuador, Colombia and Kuala Lumpur.
Barcelona has installed parking sensors in streets that keep the car drivers informed on the parking spaces available.
Similarly, San Francisco city has apps that enable drivers to find parking spaces in garages throughout the city. The move has resulted in reduced carbon dioxide emissions and wastage of fuel.
Hamburg in Germany aims to make all its cities car-free by 2034.
Copenhagen in Denmark has embarked on the plan to become the first carbon-neutral capital in the world by 2025.
Boston has undertaken a pilot project to create ‘smart streets’ and eliminate traffic fatalities citywide by 2030.
If the project is successful, other cities could adopt similar smart streets technologies.
According to the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, 30 percent of all traffic congestion in cities is the result of drivers looking for a parking space.
Chicago uses technology to manage civic problems, like controlling rats by up to 20 percent more efficiently...
...to read more, visit https://indvstrvs.com/sentient-cities/