Here’s How Smart Cites are Going to Open Business Opportunities For People Dealing in the Latest Technology

Development of a smart city generates a huge amount of data and this is how we can make that happen

The integration of modern cities with smart technologies is gaining a lot of popularity lately. According to Arup, a London based multinational, the global market for smart urban services will rise up to $400 billion per annum by next year. Cities like Amsterdam, New York, Dubai and Shanghai have already started using such services. So, it is now more essential than ever to understand this concept and the technologies that drive it.

Although there is no exact definition, the concept of ‘smart cities’ is used as an umbrella term. It refers to a city that uses data and technology to improve the lives of its citizens and businesses. The primary aim is to bring all departments of the city, such as power supply, sanitation, urban transport, waste management, e-governance, citizen participation, urban mobility, and IT under the ambit of connectivity. This makes it easier and more convenient for citizens to go about their daily lives.

A great example of this is the Amsterdam Smart City initiative. Under this, the Dutch government is running several projects via an interconnected system. It uses wireless devices to enhance the city’s real-time decision-making abilities. As a part of the initiative, they have set up smart energy metres in houses to reduce carbon footprint. They have also introduced smart street lights, which can be controlled remotely. Municipalities can also monitor and broadcast real-time traffic information for easy movement of the public. Similar technologies are being used for developing other cities across the world, including some in India.

Let’s take a detailed look at the key technologies that drive the smart city concept

ITC acts as an interlink between the public and the government, which is essential to the setup of any smart city. It creates a three-way communication channel between smart solutions, citizens, and the government. This is used to analyse the demand pattern of the state and create a requisite pool of online services. These include remote allocation of parking spaces, online registration of licenses, etc.

The key technology behind the success of any smart city initiative, whether that’s improving pollution levels or traffic conditions, is the IoT.