A smart city is an urban locality which is greatly fostered in the areas of infrastructure, lifestyle and market viability through the use of IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, actuators, and technology to connect components across the city. These sensors connect every layer of the city from the air to the street to underground. It is when you can derive data from everything that is connected to improve the lives of citizens and improve communication between the citizens and the government, that a city becomes a smart city.
Its main purpose is to enhance the daily lives of its residents and have a sustainable environment by incorporating these technologies communicating harmoniously together in a vast connection.
Understanding Smart Cities
What is a smart city?
However, there isn’t any universally accepted definition of a smart city. A smart city can have different meanings in different places. It depends mostly on the development level, and the resources and aspirations of the residents to move forward.
In LEDCs, the residents’ demands would mostly be adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation, etc.
But in places where these services are taken for granted, the residents would have higher expectations and would demand more advanced services such as robust IT connectivity and digitalization, good governance, especially e-Governance and citizen participation, sustainable environment, etc.
A smart city is a place where all kinds of services (including the core infrastructure elements mentioned above) are available so that residents can have a healthy, interactive and harmonious lifestyle.
Components of a Smart City:
Smart People
An essential element of successful outcomes of smart city projects is to focus on citizen needs and embrace citizen-centric design. Technology can offer new creative solutions but it should always remain a means to an end at the service of citizens.
Smart Environment
A smart environment is a physical environment in which there are invisible sensors, displays, actuators and computational elements that are embedded seamlessly in everyday objects and networked with each other and further.
Smart Mobility
Smart Mobility uses intelligent transportation systems to implement smart and technologically advanced alternatives for more efficient mobility of the citizens. Environmental friendly and innovative ways to be more efficient in travelling from one place to another while also being sustainable are being developed.
Smart Economy
A smart economy is an economy in which there is more efficiency, greater productivity and sustainable jobs. It is a network that connects the physical, technological, social and business infrastructure to overall better harness the capabilities of the city.
