There are different ways to approach the idea of a smart city. In this respect, it would not be entirely inaccurate to say that the vast majority of smart cities have designs that differ in certain areas from each other and that no smart city will be exactly the same as another. One of the reasons for this change has to do with the city in question and what kind of experience designers are hoping to bring its inhabitants. For Chicago, smart city design has always focused heavily on data collection.
Why data collection?
Due to the sheer scope of the projects, it can be difficult to get a handle on what kind of data is obtained and why it is useful to a smart city project. For cities to truly reap the benefits of “smart” infrastructure, data collection is a vital aspect of the design and implementation process. Data is collected on all sorts of things, including traffic patterns and security concerns as well as things like the peak times for ambulance contact and the most likely times that drivers might end up in an accident. This information can, in turn, be leveraged to help create a cityscape that uses data in an intelligent, innovative manner.
What does data innovation in a smart city look like?
To answer this question, it might be helpful to take a look at some insight shared by former Chicago CIO Brenna Berman. Berman saw the innovative use of data as a vital part of a truly functional smart city. Analyzing the aforementioned information about health care needs and traffic patterns, for example, can help automate things like traffic lights and restrictions that kick in when weather patterns worsen and circumstances that are known to create accidents or other adverse traffic conditions are present. They can also help hospitals and other care centers ensure that they are properly staffed during times that have, historically, yielding an unusually high number of patients.
Innovative data usage helps detect potential issues and eliminate surprises. It can also be used to create a city that is “user-friendly” and responsive to its inhabitants.
Through the use of things like an open data portal, predictive analytics, and sophisticated sensor systems, Chicago smart city initiative has become a leading example of how well data can be leveraged to create an innovative and seamless integration between data collection and user convenience.
GeoTel is the leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure data, including fiber route data, a key to implementing the fiber necessary for smart city technology. For over sixteen years, GeoTel’s products have been providing companies and government entities with the leverage and insight necessary to make intelligent, location-based business decisions. For more information or a demo, please contact our experts at (407) 788-8888.
