Data in Smart Cities: How Data is Transforming the Landscape of Urban Living

Renowned statistician, Edwards Deming, poignantly noted, “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” This stands true in the current times, especially when data is at the forefront of the much anticipated AI revolution.

Also, did you know that mistakes caused by insufficient data are substantially lower than errors caused by no data at all?  Data provides insights and in a way, it can be called that valuable commodity that has the power to even outlast systems. It’s like the scaffolding that can make businesses flourish and strengthen the process of urbanization and usher in the era of smart cities.

Today, smart cities are thriving and data and artificial intelligence have a lot to do with it. All thanks to the perfect concoction of technology and data, together, they are empowering cities to make the new urban phenomenon, a reality. A decade ago, nobody could have fathomed something like a big data revolution or an AI revolution. From sensor data and geospatial data to predictive maintenance and demand forecasting, smart cities are making the most of big data.

According to a PwC India survey, 71% of respondents are extremely positive about AI’s ability to help humans solve complex problems and live more fulfilled lives in the near future.

In this post, we are taking a look at the different forms of data cities are using for artificial intelligence.

How Data Is Consumed Is Smart Cities

Sensor Data

The information gathered by a Data Sensor component when it scans one or more IMS database environments at a particular moment in time and measures particular conditions (or states) present in those environments is known as sensor data. Sensor data also enables neighboring fixtures to interact with each other. In simple terms, sensor data is the output of a device that detects and reacts to some kind of input from the physical environment is called sensor data.

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Sensor Data in Smart Streetlighting

A smart streetlight is a type of public illumination that uses technology such as cameras, light-sensing photocells, and other sensors to provide real-time monitoring capabilities. Smart streetlight technology varies based on features and requirements, but it often comprises a combination of cameras and sensors.

Depending on the features and requirements, the technology behind smart streetlights can vary, but typically it entails a combination of cameras and sensors. Typically, smart streetlights include cameras, light-sensing photocells, and other sensors, to extract real-time data. These devices can detect movement and enable dynamic lighting and dimming when installed on regular streetlights. They help in citizen safety and significantly bring down power consumption.

How Sensor Data Works

Each city planner uses a specific technology, but here are some common features of smart street lighting.

• Lighting is controlled based on movement detection.
• Weather and environmental observation.
• Efficient parking management – keeping officers in the loop about accidents and parking regulations.
• Traffic management with the help of real-time data feeds. It helps to keep a check on speed, congestion, etc.
• Automatic emergency response in the case of accidents or crime.

Smart Meters and Disaggregation

In the last few years, smart meters have become more popular and are deployed at a much larger scale globally. A smart meter is a device that keeps track of data like electricity usage, voltage, current, and power factor. They transmit data to electricity suppliers for system monitoring and customer billing as well as to consumers for a better understanding of use patterns. Though they are mostly associated with electricity meters they can also refer to a device that measures water, natural gas, or heat consumption.

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If you have ever been wondering if you are paying too much electricity, then smart meters are the ideal solution. If you rely on this technology, it will mean that you will no longer have to depend on estimated bills. Also, they spare you from having to provide meter readings to your energy provider yourself because they automatically send the data over a digital network.

The Data Communications Company manages a national infrastructure that is used to transfer all smart meter data to energy providers (DCC).

The best energy tariffs now more often than not require you to have a smart meter, even though they don’t make energy cheaper on their own. Smart meters use a secure smart data network to securely and automatically deliver digital meter readings to energy providers at least once every month.

For energy suppliers and utility organizations, smart metering provides comprehensive data on residential or commercial energy consumption.

The ultimate goal of this technology is to sustainably reduce electricity consumption and costs by increasing knowledge about the electricity grids or smart grids’ current state, performance, and customer service standards.

In contrast to conventional meters, smart meters give users control over how much energy they use, enabling more general wiser energy consumption.

Features of smart meters

• Enhances the supply quality.
• Energy efficient.
• Better Network Planning.
• Reduced downtime.
• Consumption control.
• Transparency in data.

In essence, the conversion of the electrical grid into a smart grid is driven by the smart metre. The customer experience is being enhanced by the use of various digital technologies, such as edge computing, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and big data, made possible by the data acquired from these devices.

Governments around the world have made implementing smart meters a primary priority. In the U.K., for example, there were 25.6 million operational smart meters in consumers’ homes as of June 2022.

Digital Twin Solution

Genesys’ 3D City Digital Twin Solution for Urban India was unveiled by Bentley Systems, Incorporated, a provider of infrastructure engineering software, and Genesys International, a mapping and geospatial content services company. Using OpenCities 365, Bentley’s infrastructure digital twin solution for cities and campuses, this will be the first city digital twin project to be launched by an Indian enterprise. Most of urban India will be covered by this extensive mapping and surveying effort, which has already started.

The reliable solution saved time and money by giving operators precise and current information on designing and erecting 5G towers, which eliminated the need for time-consuming tower inspections.

Sajid Malik, chairman and managing director at Genesys International stated that the company will be able to construct and curate city-scale digital twins utilising Bentley’s OpenCities 365 and Genesys 3D City Digital Twin Solution for Urban India, empowering government and corporate institutions throughout India to increase their execution, efficiency, and planning skills. He further added that this remarkable solution makes it possible to bring the assets from the field that are as-built into the office in a realistic model.

Malik iterated that they were impressed by Bentley’s digital cities portfolio’s technical prowess and consider it to be a critical differentiator that will actively enhance our current digital capabilities through sustained cooperation between Bentley and Genesys International.

Depending on what an end user requires, application and engineering data layers can be added once a 3D digital twin for each of the cities is complete.

Local governments will be able to enhance public services, such as urban governance, disaster management, emergency response, and tourism, thanks to these 3D city digital twins.

Depending on what an end user requires, application and engineering data layers can be added once a 3D digital twin for each of the cities is complete.

Also, it will assist governments in providing their residents with more resilient and sustainable surroundings through improved urban construction, upgraded utility and water networks that are optimised, location-based services, and other smart city efforts.

These 3D digital twins will be used to support and modernise operations in different private corporate verticals, including city gas distribution, autonomous navigation, e-commerce, telecommunications infrastructure, construction, renewable energy, and various other verticals.

Traffic Analysis

Urban Mobility is one of the most difficult problems. The demand for mobility will rise even more as urbanization and population growth add to the already insufficient mobility systems in many cities.

Analyzing traffic flows in an urban setting, examining similarities (or differences) between weekdays, and identifying daily peaks are the first stages of comprehending urban mobility.

Traffic analyses are carried out to compare weekdays, and weekends, and to find notable differences. Also, estimates of traffic flow on notable days, such as holidays or days with weather alerts, were examined to identify any trends.

Rewind to early 2000 when people would manually count cars at crossings, providing only a fleeting glimpse of the flow of traffic that was difficult to extrapolate to other traffic situations.

Road tubes made a difference in this situation by enabling 24-hour counting but offering little information on other crucial elements like vehicle classification, its direction, or traffic violations.

• Security cameras are undoubtedly a considerably superior option–they can watch 24/7 and provide a plethora of data. However, some estimates suggest that around 98% of this camera material goes unwatched and humans miss 95% of the crucial situations.
• Here’s where artificial intelligence significantly improves traffic management. For instance, AI-powered software can instantly evaluate traffic camera data and alert transport management systems. To gain a better understanding of traffic trends over time, it can also gather historical data.
• Cities may build real-time parking and traffic maps using CCTV cameras or road surface sensors built into parking spaces, saving drivers’ time by preventing them from having to wait for a place to open up or being stuck in traffic.
• The public sector is a part of smart transportation, and AI has made it possible to significantly improve public transportation. And now, cab firms like Uber are also utilizing AI to provide their consumers with improved ride experiences.

To cut logistical costs, time-sensitive cold chain or pharmaceutical use cases, ride-sharing incentives, or use cases like drivers nearing the end of their shift can all be targeted with the help of connected vehicle data.

AI and machine learning can also be used to construct precise, quantifiable hyperlocal network designs, allocate resources more efficiently, and map a given area in the context of its particular needs and multimodal demand.

• Formerly, Hangzhou was ranked as China’s fifth-most crowded city. Due to the citywide implementation of intelligent traffic technologies, it has now fallen outside of the top 50, according to TechWireAsia.
• As per the report published by The Brainy Insights, the global intelligent traffic management system market is expected to grow from USD 10.1 billion in 2021 to USD 31.07 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 13.3% during the forecast period 2022-2030.

Mobility officials can react to emergencies more quickly because of improved traffic efficiency. These novel approaches should decrease travel time while increasing traffic control efficiency. The usage of public transportation more frequently can help cut down on air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Intelligent traffic management systems offer accessibility, vehicle traffic, and road safety. Additionally, it provides real-time data for quick analysis and situational response. To reduce traffic congestion, numerous nations are attempting to enhance their traffic management systems.

Based on the fundamental idea of monitoring vehicles with radio frequency identification, intelligent traffic control systems may operate in real-time, increase traffic flow and safety, and are completely automated, saving money on ongoing, expensive human involvement.

Based on the fundamental idea of monitoring vehicles with radio frequency identification, intelligent traffic control systems may operate in real-time, increase traffic flow and safety, and are completely automated, saving money on ongoing, expensive human involvement. If this traffic control system is in place at every intersection in a city, the system’s greatest advantage will become apparent.

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Cities have recently been growing exponentially as a result of modern lifestyles and various world economies. Urban expansion and sustainability goals of cities both rely heavily on communication and information technology.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is data has extraordinary power. And when the data is complete and accurate, researchers, scientists, and decision-makers spend more time extracting valuable, real-time insights from it. Cities benefit from data derived from IoT devices and sensors to identify particular patterns and needs. The insight further help to minimize road accidents and traffic bottlenecks assist drivers in identifying a parking spot, enhance urban lighting, and refine the process of water and energy systems.