smart cities
, s e i t i C Smart rnment e v o G d o Go How 5G
ssisting logy is a
techno
ty of life
li and qua e r u t c u r t s
city infra
by Joel Sams Globally, 5G technology has ushered in a host of possibilities for city maintenance and infrastructure development, waste management and recycling and quality of life. But what exactly is smart city technology — and what does it mean for state leaders? Tech Republic defines a smart city as a city using “IoT [Internet of Things] sensors and technology to connect components across a city to derive data and improve the lives of citizens and visitors.” In practical terms, smart city technology allows multiple devices to connect and communicate with each other. This connectivity allows humans and machines to monitor and measure vast amounts of data while improving quality of life. Chicago is one example of a city that leveraged smart city technology to transform infrastructure through projects led by Brenna Berman, former executive director of Chicago’s City Tech. Data collected from connected cameras, for instance, allowed the city “to better design intersections and streets, work out where to segregate different traffic flows and tweak traffic light patterns to improve safety,” according to Wired. Street floods were yet another challenge that Chicago addressed using smart city technology. Berman said artificial intelligence sensors would report data on street conditions, including depth of water on the street, helping city officials anticipate and respond to problems.
Smart city technology can also transform waste management and recycling processes. In Toronto, Ontario, Sidewalk Labs is piloting an AI-powered recycling program that relies on robotic camera images to provide information about waste management practices, according to reporting from StateScoop. And in Los Angeles, Ecube Labs Co. — through a web-based tool and a smartphone app — collects data on waste bin fill levels, making collection processes more efficient. In 2016, cities worldwide spent $80 billion on smart city technology — a sum that is predicted to grow to $189 billion by 2023, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). Accordingly, state leaders will need to be clear-eyed about the challenges and opportunities posed by new tools. “State leaders need to understand privacy and security issues and address these, as well as digital divide (access) issues,” said Nevada Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel, who serves on the What’s Next? Embracing the Future subcommittee of the CSG Future of Work National Task Force. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how the networks that underlie smart city technology also can be used to deliver services, such as education and tele-medicine; facilitate communications from governmental leaders; and help those in need access services faster. We’ve also seen how privacy and security can be impeded and how the digital divide can lead to even greater inequality.”
2023 $189 billion
In 2016, cities worldwide spent $80 billion on smart city technology — a sum that is predicted to grow to $189 billion by 2023, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).
ISSUE 2 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS
2016 $80 billion
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