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The use of IoT technology at city-scale is becoming a rising trend, giving birth to a generation of modern areas known as "smart cities."

In recent years, more and more countries have begun incorporating this technology into their infrastructures. So far, IoT has been used to elevate crucial systems that affect citizens' daily lives, such as healthcare, public transportation, workplace, waste management, and energy distribution.

According to a market report from Grand View Research, the market size of smart cities is expected to reach US$676.01 billion by 2028. In the era of advanced IoT and LoRaWAN technology, the possibilities for improving the way we live and interact with each other in cities is endless
First, what is a smart city?
By definition, it's a technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods, voice activation methods, and/or sensors to collect specific data. This data is then used within the framework put in place along with other technologies such as IoT to develop, deploy, and promote sustainable development practices and address the needs accompanied by urbanization.
What technology makes up a smart city?
This framework is made up of a network of connected objects and machines that help transmit data using wireless technology, such as LoRaWAN and the cloud. IoT comes in as the mediator between these objects and will help citizens engage with the systems created by using devices such as smartphones, tablets, cars, and even homes. Examples of this technology working within the city framework include:

1. Air Quality. A growing concern in most major cities, smart cities are now equipping new technologies to monitor pollution, dust, and air particles to better inform residents in real-time of the current levels of pollution in the air.

2. Waste Management. IoT systems are used to help optimise the efficiency of collection and reduce operational costs while also addressing environmental issues associated with inefficient waste management. Smart sensors are also used to send signals when trash containers are full will help ensure that collectors come only when it is essential.

3. Smart Infrastructure: These infrastructures often include automated lighting, smart elevators, and more, buildings and homes are able to learn from their environment to become more energy-efficient and reduce excessive power usage.

4. Traffic Management. IoT is making it much simpler to optimize traffic patterns. Using sensors to track and send real-time updates about traffic flow to a management platform, the system can analyse and adjust traffic lights and so on to the current situation in just seconds, with little to no human supervision.

Two successful smart city applications
A small number of smart cities around the world are already leagues ahead and exist already, two of which are in the APAC region. Both Hong Kong and Singapore are great examples of smart city adoption:

1. Hong Kong. In 2019, then Hong Kong's Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas Yang announced plans to push for smart city construction, in line with the Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint that was released in 2017. With over 70 initiatives included in the plan, one feature has become most pervasive in the city: smart lamp posts. Fitted with sensors, these multifunctional lampposts serve as bases for measuring traffic conditions, monitoring weather and air quality, and tracking illegal waste dumping, among others. In April 2020, Hong Kong also commercially launched 5G technology that enabled breakneck Internet speeds. And most recently in April 2021, China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) became the first local operator to provide 5G services for the Hong Kong International Airport.

2. Singapore. Their Smart Nation program was launched back in 2014 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Through sensors and cameras deployed all throughout the island, Singapore has collected an unprecedented amount of data on daily life in the city. This has allowed them to monitor how the nation is functioning in real-time closely. Their transport networks, for example, make use of road sensors, smart parking, and phased traffic lights to improve traffic flow and solve congestion problems.

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The role of IoT in future-ready smart cities - FutureIoT

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The use of IoT technology at city-scale is becoming a rising trend, giving birth to a generation of modern areas known as "smart cities." In recent years, more and more countries have begun incorporating this technology into their infrastructures.

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The IoT Revolution: 5 Examples Of How Smart Cities Are Using The Technology

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Planners want to make their cities more livable, efficient, and sustainable. A smart city with IoT can help achieve this goal by providing real-time data about the state of urban infrastructure.

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Since 1950, the number of people living in cities has risen almost six-fold to over 4 billion. That number is projected to increase by another 2.5 billion, by 2050. The smart city, coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT), is one of the most promising technologies to address the severe strain that this rapid population growth imposes on the public services and infrastructure of cities.
A smart city uses Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in urban areas to collect data and automate systems such as traffic, energy use, and waste management. By doing so, smart cities improve the efficiency of urban services, reduce costs, and deliver a higher standard of living.
Dgtl Infra takes a deep dive into the different IoT technologies that are fundamental building blocks of a smart city, as well as the innovative applications that result. Smart cities are increasingly using IoT technologies to collect data and develop insights to manage assets, resources, and services more efficiently. Furthermore, this shift is being accelerated by the combination of increased data speeds and capacity capabilities of wireless and wireline networks, as well as emerging IoT applications.

What is a Smart City?
A smart city incorporates advanced technology, including a vast network of sensors and interconnected devices, which gather real-time information to improve the efficiency of public services, while saving money and resources.
While it is difficult to determine where the world's first smart city was established, given that different people have different definitions for what constitutes a smart city, Songdo in South Korea - which is located ~25 miles southwest of Seoul - is often cited as one of the earliest examples of smart city initiatives. Today, more than 2/3rds of cities globally are investing in smart city technologies.

According to Grand View Research, the global market size for smart cities comprised revenue of $1,227 billion in 2022. Furthermore, the smart cities market size is forecasted to increase at a 25.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2023 to 2030, reaching $6,965 billion of revenue by 2030.

Smart City Initiatives

While smart cities may appear in different forms, they are mainly characterized by one or more of the following initiatives: intelligent transportation, smart buildings, smart energy grids and meters, smart governance, smart healthcare, smart public safety, and environmentally-friendly policies.

Notably, a smart city is not a single entity. Rather it is a combination of different smart solutions integrated together to improve the quality of life in that city. Typically, smart cities are built through partnerships between public and private sectors.

Smart City Technologies

Smart cities utilize several enabling technologies to provide intelligent services to their citizens. These include IoT technologies, big data and analytics, edge computing, regional data centers, 5G networks, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML), blockchain, and robotics.

Smart City Examples

Around the world there are a number of smart cities, each pursuing their own smart city initiatives:

Singapore: operates a city-wide network of sensors and cameras to monitor traffic, weather, and pollution

Amsterdam: uses a digital twin to simulate and test urban planning decisions before they are implemented in the real world

San Diego: implemented a number of smart grid initiatives, including a smart street lighting system and a system for managing the flow of electric vehicles (EVs)

Top 10 Smart Cities in the World

Internet of Things (IoT) and the Smart City

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the network of physical objects, such as devices, vehicles, and buildings, embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity, which enable them to collect and exchange data. These connected devices can communicate with other devices and systems, allowing them to function and share data seamlessly.

Together, IoT and the smart city are being used to efficiently address the escalating demands for resources of so many residents living, working, driving, and interacting with each other. For example, IoT and smart city initiatives are being applied to the improvement of traffic management, energy consumption, public safety, healthcare, and more.

Worldwide, there are expected to be 74.5 billion IoT connected devices by 2025 and $189.5 billion of smart city spend in 2023.

IoT forms the technical backbone of every smart city in the world, equipping them with the intelligence, interconnection, and instruments needed to improve urban services, optimize resources, and reduce costs. By connecting various devices, systems, and people, IoT can provide real-time data and insights on city operations and infrastructure.

However, there are some distinct challenges in fully realizing the vision of a smart city - with security being the biggest concern at present. To this end, the interconnectedness of IoT devices creates new vulnerabilities for cyberattacks, data breaches, and unauthorized access.

Internet of Things (IoT) Security - Next-Generation Protection

Another major concern is the scalability of IoT infrastructure. As the number of IoT devices in a city is rapidly increasing, the amount of data generated is also quickly growing, putting a strain on existing IoT systems.

Internet of Things (IoT) Devices - What's Smart in 2023?

IoT Technologies for Smart Cities

The foundation of smart cities relies on the utilization of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and networks. These devices, in combination with software solutions, user interfaces, and communication networks, enable and enhance the functioning and efficiency of smart cities.

Ultimately, the goal is to have IoT technologies interconnected, with data flowing seamlessly between devices, in order to create a truly smart city that can improve quality of life. More specifically, these IoT technologies include radio-frequency identification (RFID), near-field communication (NFC), low-power wide-area (LPWA), wireless telecommunications, wireless sensor network (WSN), DASH7, and addressing.

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging devices use radio frequencies to transfer data, mainly to track and identify objects and people. In a smart city, tracking the location and movement of vehicles, equipment, and even people can generate important data that can be used to optimize the operation of transportation systems, waste collection routes, and parking availability.

Additionally, RFID technology can be used to improve security and public safety in a city by enabling real-time tracking of vehicles and individuals.

Near-Field Communication (NFC)

Near-field communication (NFC) is a set of standards for smartphones and other devices - like credit card readers - to establish radio communication with each other by bringing them into close proximity, typically within an inch (or a few centimeters). In smart cities, NFC is used for bidirectional short-distance communication, such as contactless payments, access control, and electronic ticketing.

Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA)

Low-power wide-area (LPWA), in licensed spectrum, is an optimal solution for IoT applications that require low-power, low-cost, and low-bandwidth communication. At the same time, LPWA technologies benefit from battery life of ~10 years.

In a smart city, LPWA networks are used in applications such as building automation and industrial automation - part of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Wireless Telecommunications

3G, 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE), and 5G are cellular wireless telecommunications standards that have been primarily used by mobile phones and data terminals. Importantly, 5G offers lower latency, increased speed, higher density (# of connected devices), added capacity (network throughput), and energy efficiency, as compared to prior wireless generations.

The higher density offered by 5G means that it has the ability to support 10x more connected devices, per square kilometer of network, as compared to 4G LTE. This feature is particularly relevant to the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) because a 5G network enables the simultaneous operation of 1 million connected devices in one square kilometer. In a smart city, 5G and IoT become essential for applications such as traffic management, emergency response, and self-driving cars.

What's the Difference Between 4G LTE and 5G?

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN)

A wireless sensor network (WSN) is a network that is untethered to any wires and comprises a large number of small, low-power devices called sensor nodes. Specifically, these nodes are equipped with sensors, microcontrollers, and wireless communication capabilities, and are deployed in a variety of environments to monitor and collect data.

In a smart city, a WSN can be used to monitor temperature, humidity, and air quality in a building.

Internet of Things (IoT) Sensors and Actuators

DASH7 is a long-range, low-power wireless communications standard, ideally suited for sensor networks, active RFID tags, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This standard is typically used in applications requiring modest bandwidth like text messages, sensor readings, asset tracking, or location-based advertising coordinates. More specifically, these use cases are applied to material monitoring, warehouse optimization, and smart meter developments.

Addressing

Addressing refers to the process of uniquely identifying and addressing IoT devices and other network entities. This is necessary to ensure that data and commands can be properly routed and delivered to the correct devices and systems in a smart city.

IoT Applications for Smart Cities

Smart city services and Internet of Things (IoT) applications are improving the way we live. Examples range from greater safety on roads, to saving valuable time from daily commutes, to providing cleaner air for people to breathe - their impact has already been felt in cities around the globe. Major IoT applications for smart cities are smart urban mobility, urban sustainability, and smart buildings & environment.

1) Smart Urban Mobility

Traffic congestion is one of the key challenges of every city administration. IoT is playing a key role in alleviating traffic congestion by making various types of real-time data available on vehicular movement.

Smart traffic management solutions are being used to monitor and analyze traffic flows. These systems optimize traffic lights and help prevent roadways from becoming too congested, based on time of day or 'rush hour' schedules.

According to CTIA's Smart Cities Playbook, smart traffic management systems have the potential to reduce congestion by 40% and save $100 million annually.

Smart parking applications use cameras and other sensors to help drivers find available parking spaces without continuously circling around crowded city blocks or parking lots. Sensors placed on parking spots transmit data to a server, which delivers information to drivers via mobile phone applications or display boards. To-date, smart parking has already increased the capacity of roads by 10%.

Connected cars and transport services are growing in adoption, with their ability to provide real-time traffic data and faster routes to drivers. According to Insider Intelligence, connected cars will make up 97% of the total number of registered vehicles in the U.S. by 2035.

2) Urban Sustainability

Our world is transitioning to more environmentally-aware smart cities and IoT technologies are the catalyst for this shift. Beyond existing initiatives - such as switching to energy-efficient LED lighting or creating low-emission zones - smart lighting, smart meters, and smart waste management are important examples of urban sustainability.

Smart lighting changes the intensity of street lights based on movement of vehicles and pedestrians. This results in notable energy savings and reduction of light pollution. Also, installing sensors to detect malfunctioning public lights reduces maintenance costs.

According to CTIA's Smart Cities Playbook, smart lighting solutions have the potential to save more than $1 billion per year across the United States. While in Europe, on a more micro-level in the city of Guadalajara, Spain, 13,500 LED lights were connected to a central management system, reducing street lighting energy consumption by 68%.

Smart meters are IoT devices that are attached to buildings and connected to a smart energy grid, allowing utility companies to manage energy flow more effectively. Also, smart meters enable users to track their power consumption, leading to more energy usage awareness and potential savings. Insider Intelligence predicts that utility companies will save $157 billion by 2035 due to smart meter adoption.

As an example, Vodafone, one of the world's largest wireless carriers, has over 12 million smart meter connections globally using its IoT technology, saving an estimated 1.6 million tons of CO2e.

Smart waste management can improve efficiency and reduce costs by using capacity sensors to track the level of waste held in garbage cans and recycling containers, determining the most efficient pick-up routes for waste management companies or public services.

3) Smart Buildings and Environment

One of the key purposes of a smart city is to improve the quality of life of its citizens in both indoor and outdoor environments. Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and data are advancing a wide range of urban services, buildings, and infrastructure in order to achieve this purpose.

In particular, smart buildings use a number of IoT devices to support these goals, including the following hardware:

Smart city and Internet of Things (IoT) technology are also working in tandem to solve problems in air quality, building automation, and noise.

Air quality data is being used in cities around the world to support urban planning decisions, such as where to locate new buildings and roads, and to develop and enforce air pollution regulations. Specifically, air quality monitoring has been made possible with optical, electrochemical, and beta attenuation sensors placed around a smart city.

IoT technologies are helping to improve the efficiency, safety, and comfort of public buildings such as schools, libraries, government facilities, and community centers through automation. The goal with building automation is to enhance the end user's experience and reduce operating costs, all while providing a more sustainable environment.

Different types of sensors and devices can be used for noise monitoring, such as microphones, accelerometers, and geophones. These IoT devices are placed strategically around a smart city to capture data on noise levels, which is then transmitted to a central monitoring system.

Data from IoT devices allow smart city officials to identify hotspots of noise pollution and bring interventions such as sound barriers, green spaces, and noise-reduction building materials.

Adam Simmons covers Towers for Dgtl Infra, including American Tower (NYSE: AMT), Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI), SBA Communications (NASDAQ: SBAC), Cellnex Telecom (BME: CLNX), Vantage Towers (ETR: VTWR), IHS Holding (NYSE: IHS), and many more. Within Towers, Adam focuses on the sub-sectors of ground-based cell towers, rooftop sites, broadcast / radio towers, and 5G. Adam has over 7 years of experience in research and writing for Towers.

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Smart City and Internet of Things (IoT) Technology

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Since 1950, the number of people living in cities has risen almost six-fold to over 4 billion. That number is projected to increase by another 2.5 billion, by 2050. The smart city, coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT), is one of the most promising technologies to address the severe strain that this rapid population growth imposes on the public services and infrastructure of cities.

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Internet of Things (IoT) in Smart Cities 2022 | Datamation

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How are Internet of Things (IoT) technologies being used in smart cities? See 5 examples here now:

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20 Feb 2023

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IoT in Smart Cities: Applications and Benefits

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Home > Blog > Applications of IoT in Smart Cities 20 Feb 2023 We can help you develop a wide range of IoT-enabled smart city solutions that address the pain points around public utility services. We can help you implement IoT-based smart city solutions & transform urban hubs into safe, convenient & efficient spaces.

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IOT Application in Smart Homes and Smart Cities - TechVidvan

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Learn about Smart Homes and Smart Cities which are prospering domains of IOT. See equipment used in them and their features and challenges.

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For most of the people reading this article, chances are that you live in a city. In fact, more than 55% of all the people in the world live in cities and urban areas, a number which may increase to 70% in the future as urbanization increases and people migrate to the cities in search of jobs. But this means that cities need better planning and infrastructure if they have to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly to provide a good quality of life. In other words, cities need to become smart cities! This is possible using a combination of the Internet of Things with sensors collecting data and machine learning implementing the insights obtained from the data.

IoT can be used in many ways to make cities more efficient ranging from managing the traffic, controlling air pollution, handling waste management, creating smart buildings, planning for natural disasters, etc. So let's see how modern technologies combined with civic planning can result in smart cities that are more efficient and cost-effective.

1. Traffic Management

It is important to control the traffic in cities otherwise there are huge traffic jams in popular places and totally empty streets otherwise. This also depends on the design and layout of the roads but it can be managed by having smart traffic lights. For example, the traffic lights should automatically adjust according to the volume of the traffic so that green lights should have a longer duration where there more traffic and shorter duration when the streets are empty. Sensors can also be embedded in roads and bridges to monitor their conditions so that they can be repaired when there is much wear and tear. After all, roads with potholes are also a major cause of traffic pollution!

2. Air Pollution

Air pollution is a major problem in many metropolitan cities where the particulate matter in the air is so high it is damaging to the lungs in the long run. But IoT along with machine learning can be used to reduce air pollution. This is possible by collecting data related to city pollution like emissions from vehicles, pollen levels, airflow direction, weather, traffic levels, etc using IoT from various sources and then calculating pollution forecasts to see the trends in pollution so they can be controlled.

3. Healthcare

Healthcare is an extremely important aspect of life, especially in current times when non-communicable diseases like heart problems and cancer are increasing in big cities while there are still a lot of deaths from infectious diseases in poorer places. In such a situation, IoT technology can surely help in enhancing the healthcare system so that the best healthcare is received by everybody. One example of this is microbots that can directly enter the bloodstream and reach any place inside the body to deliver medicines. Another application of IoT and sensors in healthcare is remote patient monitoring wherein patients can be monitored 24/7 and emergency responders called if there are any problems.

4. Public Transport

Public transport, whether it be buses or trains, are at the heart of any city. This is especially true in big cities where there are big traffic jams and the metro train can be a lifesaver! However, smart public transport can streamline traffic and also make commuters' life much easier. It is very convenient when the trains and buses are connected with a single app and you know exactly when the next service will arrive and how long you need to wait. In addition to that, predictive analytics can be used to optimize the routes of public transport which provide maximum benefit and minimum cost.

5. Water Management

There is no life without water! But water is also a finite resource which is reducing at an alarming rate. Therefore, using smart water management techniques in cities so that water can be conserved for future generations is a good idea. Sensors can be used to monitor water levels, pipe conditions, tank pressures, etc. in municipal water pipelines and tanks to optimize water management. These will ensure that water is not wasted and that problems like leaky pipes or high pressure in tanks can be handled without any loss of water. Sensors can also be used to monitor the groundwater levels so that they can be replenished if there is a groundwater shortage.

6.Buildings

Cities are obviously incomplete without buildings and larger cities have a lot of skyscrapers as well. Now the challenge is to build smart buildings using IoT where all the functionalities like lighting, air conditioners, heating, security, etc. can be connected and controlled from a single source. This will reduce the costs of operating a building as well as increase efficiency. For example, air conditions and heaters in a building can be set to change the internal temperature according to the outside temperature. Sensors can also be used to monitor the air quality inside the building and also automatically switch on lights only when there are people. All these actions will save a lot of energy and also reduce the electricity bill!

7. Waste Management

Waste management systems in a city can be optimized so that there is efficient waste collection and disposal which helps in keeping the city clean and hygienic. After all, mismanagement of waste can lead to contamination of the soil, air, and water as well as provide a breeding ground for a host of bacteria (not to mention the horrible smell!) But IoT technology with sensors in the waste bins can be used to find when the bins are full and dispose of them accordingly. This is better than just disposing the waste on particular days only when the bind might not be full sometimes or overflowing with the danger of contamination on other days.

8. Parking

It doesn't sound like parking is a problem but it is actually a big headache, especially in large cities. Less available space means that drivers have to waste their time finding parking spaces and increase road traffic in this process ( while also becoming more and more irritated!) This issue can be solved by using IoT connected sensors around the city that point out the empty parking spaces around wherever your destination is. This data will also allow city officials to see where there is congestion due to less parking space and where there is lots of empty space available. This can then be used to optimize parking and prevent traffic jams as well as driver irritation!

9. Natural Disaster Management

It is not possible to prevent natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. but it is entirely possible to anticipate these disasters before they occur and then manage them effectively. For example, sensors in combination with IoT can be used to anticipate when earthquakes are going to occur by analyzing the makeup of the ground, seismic plate interaction, energy propagation in the ground, etc. Similarly, sensors can be used to obtain flood detection data like river level readings, rainfall records, terrain and elevation of an area, etc. to predict when and where a flood might occur and the severity of the flood as well.

10. Infrastructure

The infrastructure of a city i.e. its roads, buildings, etc are essentially what form the city. And smart infrastructure is a very important part of creating a smart city. This includes using IoT along with sensors to use technology intelligently which can save energy and cost for a city. An example of this is using smart streetlights along the roads that only turn on when they detect motion and stay off the rest of the time. This will definitely save energy and reduce the cost to the city.

Conclusion

These are only some of the applications of IoT in creating smart cities. There are many more options that can be explored to make cities a better option for more than 70% of the world's population in the future. Many of these applications are already used in the big metropolitan cities around the world, however, there are many barriers to creating truly smart cities. Some of these may be bureaucracy or the fact that it takes time to integrate the existing systems with new technology. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that the future is smart!

Last Updated : 19 Dec, 2020

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10 Applications of IoT in Creating Smart Cities - GeeksforGeeks

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For most of the people reading this article, chances are that you live in a city. In fact, more than 55% of all the people in the world live in cities and urban areas, a number which may increase to 70% in the future as urbanization increases and people migrate to the cities in search of jobs.