Smart city
[5][6] The foundation of a smart city is built on the integration of people, technology, and processes, which connect and interact across sectors such as healthcare, transportation, education, and infrastructure, etc.
[11][12][13] ICT can be used to enhance quality, performance, and interactivity of urban services, to reduce costs and resource consumption and to increase contact between citizens and government.
[23] Historically, cities functioned as centers of innovation, and the advent of the digital era presented opportunities and challenges to apply technology to create urban environments that are more efficient, sustainable, and livable.[24][25][26][27][how?
[27] Cities seek to upgrade their infrastructure and service delivery, to promote social inclusion, technological adoption, and economic development.
[24][40] Notable disparities among smart city definitions include the relative focus on economic advantages versus environmental or social benefits and specific technology choices.
In 2010, Cisco Systems, with $25 million from the Clinton Foundation, established its Connected Urban Development program in partnership with San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Seoul.
[57] Smart city competitions were launched in the 2010s by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the United States Department of Transportation.
[20] In 2016, AT&T launched an alliance with Cisco, Deloitte, Ericsson, General Electric, IBM, Intel, and Qualcomm, with municipal partners Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas.
[82] According to David K. Owens, the former executive vice president of the Edison Electric Institute, two key elements that a smart city must have are an integrated communications platform and a "dynamic resilient grid.
[84] For a smart city to function, it is necessary for it to manage an enormous amount of data collected through the embedded devices and systems in its environment.
These cards possess a unique encrypted identifier that allows the owner to log into a range of government-provided services (or e-services) without setting up multiple accounts.
The single identifier allows governments to aggregate data about citizens and their preferences to improve the provision of services and to determine common interests of groups.
[38] Cognitive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, can be trained on the data generated by connected city devices to identify patterns.
The efficacy and impact of particular policy decisions can be quantified by cognitive systems studying the continuous interactions of humans with their urban surroundings.
[91] Retractable bollards allow to restrict access inside city centers (i.e. to delivery trucks resupplying outlet stores).
Opening and closing of such barriers is traditionally done manually, through an electronic pass[92] but can even be done by means of ANPR cameras connected to the bollard system.
[96][97] Innovation is associated with intellectual curiosity and creativeness, and various projects have demonstrated that knowledge workers participate in a diverse mix of cultural and artistic activities.
[98][99] Since mobility is a key area of smart city development, building a capable workforce through education initiatives is necessary.
[100] Numerous Smart city programs also focus on soft infrastructure development, like increasing access to voluntary organizations and designated safe zones.
[101] This focus on social and relational capital means diversity, inclusion, and ubiquitous access to public services is worked in to city planning.
[144] As of 2024, "Safe City" digital products were marketed abroad by Chinese companies including Dahua Technology, Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision.
The 2014-15 budget of the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program, included approximately 200 million Euros to expedite smart cities.
[151] The New Urban Agenda emphasized the importance of smart city development, establishing a fundamental commitment for the UN's 193 member states.
[24][28] Smart city initiatives require collaboration and involvement from government agencies, businesses, community organizations, academia, and citizens.
