Smart cities: what are they?

An emerging concept called “smart cities” encourages connecting gadgets to the physical infrastructure of cities. The proponents of this concept contend that this procedure can contribute to the development of cities’ sustainability and be an essential step in that direction.

What function does IoT serve in smart cities?

The Internet of Things, or IoT for short, is made up of sensors and other technologies that communicate with other systems and devices via the internet or other communication networks. As demonstrated by their functional importance in the development of contemporary cities, IoT systems have a wide range of applications in smart cities because they enable interaction between members of diverse communities. Device engagement is achieved with the use of smartphones, smartwatches, and other cutting-edge technology. This is a fluid framework due to technological advances that continue to grow

Smart traffic management, with the use of IoT:

• Controlling traffic signals through the smartphone as signals are sent to manage the traffic lights when the vehicle approaches.
• Electric vehicle charging (EV) docks and parking meters are two ways that connected cars can communicate.
• Smartphones have replaced driver licenses as a means of storing digital credentials.

There are certain applications of the IoT system in smart cities. These include,

• Smart lighting- censored lights that glow when they sense movement.
• Smart waste management- installing IoT sensors to enable the understanding of when the trash is full.
• IoT-based transport- IoT systems provide information about the availability of the vehicle, appropriate timings and locations.
• IoT parking system- sensors to provide details about vacant spaces to park the vehicles in a lot.
• Water management- These modern techniques are used to conserve water by keeping a check on the pipeline, water level, storage, and many others.
• Natural disaster management- the occurrence of calamities cannot be prohibited, but they can be prevented. The activated sensors present allow us to sense the emergence of any calamity beforehand, enabling us to take precaution.

Smart Traffic Management:

As we have already taken note of the fact that in order to build smart traffic management, IoT is essential to alter the smarter changes. Framing the developmental infrastructure for the management of multiple systems requires the Internet of Things. Among them is intelligent traffic control, which makes it possible for cars to travel and operate on the road with ease. Numerous contributions from hardware and software entities have accelerated the development of this idea. Some of them include:

• Automatic identification and data collection tags, abbreviated to AIDC tags, collect information about the moving vehicles- their speed and everything.
• Radio frequency identification uses barcodes as its primary means of identification, even though the majority of people are not familiar with how it operates.
• The temperature sensor, which we often notice is in use at the doors of offices and official buildings, detects the temperature of the subject.
• Air quality sensors identify air pollutants that can seriously harm humans, such as concentrated ozone, carbon monoxide, and other dangerous substances.

There have been several projects that have proposed the idea of implementing this concept of a smart city for the development of the state and, furthermore, the country. One such great example is SAAR, or Smart Cities and Academia towards Action and Research, in India. This is a compendium of 75 smart city projects, which consists of the important contributions of several renowned universities and colleges across the country. It also states that 65% of the country’s population consists of youth under the age of 35 and should be given the rightful opportunity to contribute towards the nation’s growth.

Singapore is the world’s smartest city- Here’s why

• Wireless payment- the existence of wireless payments among buyers and sellers facilitates faster and smoother transactions.
• Improved Healthcare- The digitization of the healthcare department has led to the betterment of citizens’ lives. It is said that by the year 2050, all citizens of this country will be 65 or older.
• Wise use of AI- The prudent application of artificial intelligence has been initiated by Singapore, in conjunction with all other nations.
• Smart-app solution- The government of the country has launched a smart app that is the solution to all the problems and answers to all the queries relating to the government. So if you’re new to the country, the government has got your back!

The introduction of smart homes

Modernization has widely influenced us to be conditioned to get everything instantly. We get food delivered with one click. The reduction of the attention of an average individual is an example of how we have adapted to get and earn everything quickly. The concept of a smart home is very convenient for such a theory. The devices, once installed in the household, can be operated with our smart phones connected to an internet connection and from anywhere. This provides swift and easy operation of the devices, saving time and effort for the individual. Examples of these gadgets that can be operated smartly includes-

• Thermostat
• Smart lock
• Smart surveillance cameras
• Smart speakers
• Smart television

All these devices have the flexibility to be controlled from a central source. Tablets and mobile phones are used to control these as required. These gadgets are self-skilled and therefore, they are capable of adjusting and setting their functioning according to the owner’s needs and necessities. Commands can be given, and these devices self-interpret them to set alarms, dates on calendars, and schedule meeting times for the users. The ability to pay for utilities like water and electricity has improved the efficiency of these devices.

What effects do smart cities have on society and culture?

The digitization of public and personal services has widely influenced the livelihoods of the people residing in the community. Not only has it made the accessibility and operation of daily activities easier, but it has also made them faster. As every action has its pros and cons, the consequences of this concept create difficulty in evaluating correlation. In order to save time, the plan might backfire, and it can impact how people are using their time and energy elsewhere. The adaptation of citizens to this new concept might take some time, which would cause a delay in the process. The practical shift from a manual-controlled world to a digitized space would also be defended by several people who have enjoyed and accepted comfort in that way. The requirement for every person to consent and give in to the acceptance of the idea would also need time.

In what ways will the development of smart cities benefit the environment?

The promotion of smart cities will be advantageous for the environment in more ways than one. Keeping in mind that it tends to manage waste smartly, it will also be very useful to generate electricity and provide it to households. The dump yards, which sit idly and contaminate the air, sewage, and land and kill several animals, will then be constructively recycled to produce something useful for living.
The smart sensors that detect the quality of the air will enable us to keep the environment clean. The gradual and healthy reduction of contaminants in the environment will therefore reduce several cardiac and lung disorders, which reportedly are the cause of several deaths.
The modern concept of making cities smart and efficient is a powerful step towards modernization. This has a greater impact on the healthy lifestyles of individuals, providing them with comfort, security, and reliability through connectivity.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1.How do smart cities contribute to sustainable development?

Smart cities use information and communication technologies to make improvements in people’s lives and meet socio-economic requirements.

2.What challenges do smart cities face in terms of security?

The concept of IoT systems have enabled security to be a vital factor of concern. As it is believed, if this is followed properly, the risk of a threat to cybersecurity will be banished with time.