You’ve heard of smartphones, but what about smart cities? 2 in 3 people will be living in a major city by 2050 — and with this influx, comes a need for innovation. To avoid strain on infrastructure as well as citizens themselves, city planners are looking to new ways to adapt to modern times.
Smart cities are metropolitan areas connected together by a wireless network. From rush hour congestion to efforts against pollution, cities are starting to adopt new ways in which to manage their limits.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is to thank for these developments. Massive private companies like IBM and Microsoft are partnering with governments to initiate the shift. The IoT makes this possible thanks to smart grids. These grids are digital fabrics woven through an entire city. They make it possible for a homeowner to know which route will allow them to cut back on their daily commute, as well as how much energy their night of gaming costs them. Overall, smart cities are being created so citizens and governments can make smarter decisions about their daily lives.
The six areas governments are looking to optimize with smart cities are transportation, buildings, utilities, environment, infrastructure and public health. By connecting citizens with up-to-the-moment information in these sectors, the hope is more wide-spread and sustainable wellbeing will be achieved for metropolitan cities.
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