The Rise of Intelligent Cities Posted on September 23, 2015June 23, 2021 by Amanda Wolf All around us, we hear about intelligent electronics. We’re not quite talking about artificial intelligence like you see in the movies, but instead, millions of sensors and devices that collect, analyze and report data, all with the purpose of influencing other devices. Sound like science fiction? Consider lighting systems currently available on the market. These systems can be connected to photo and motion sensors, which gather information regarding the environment and tell the lamps to turn on and off, dim or brighten. Cities are Interested in the Intelligent Device Industry While many consumers and businesses are taking advantage of intelligent electronics in their lighting and more, cities have started to receive the message that these technologies matter – and help. By implementing smart electronics, from a region’s energy distribution grid to street lamps and office buildings, entire municipalities can reduce their carbon footprints and save money. Not to mention, they can brighten up the dim streets to improve safety and make people a little bit happier on their walks home. For cities that are truly dedicated to the smart technology way of life, GE’s Intelligent Environment for Cities is an all-encompassing LED system. GE offers municipalities the cloud platform and LED street lighting with wireless sensors. The sensors within the system allow cities to monitor the environment, traffic flow, parking situations and more. The data collected over time can even improve traffic planning and emergency responses. “Light is more than you can see,” said Beth Comstock, GE’s chief marketing officer and CEO of GE Business Innovations. “LEDs are just this incredible base of hardware to embed the sensors and controls needed to layer up data and analytics. Once you connect hardware to the cloud, you take that data and you start to be able to see and sense all kinds of things in your home, your business and your city.” Transforming into an Intelligent City It takes more than purchasing a smart system to become an intelligent city. Implementing the technology to collect pertinent data that is then properly stored and used can take years, and there must be steadfast stakeholders to push innovation forward. Illuminated Minds, a portion of GE Lighting that promotes energy efficiency, discussed some of the key factors of transforming from a traditional, potentially out of date city, to an intelligent one: Education and transparency: If street and traffic lights work and ambulances can get where they need to go quickly, citizens and public officers of a city may not understand the need for a new, comprehensive lighting system. However, it takes educating the community on how well lighting, traffic and emergency services truly work and how much better they could be to gather support for intelligent technology. Community support: Until it’s clear there’s a need for more intelligent cities, it’s unlikely people will support an initiative they fear could cost them money. Along with communication and education comes gathering community support. The people of a city are what drive and sustain innovation. Benefits of connectivity: Once citizens and potential stakeholders understand the basic needs for improved systems, it’s time to demonstrate how more connected systems benefit the entire city. The point of intelligent devices isn’t to perfect each individual system – it’s to improve all the systems by building connections between them. It’s time to learn how street lamps affect crime and traffic accidents or how the traffic signals affect commute times. Installing LED street lamps isn’t a quick fix for any city’s problems, and becoming an intelligent city isn’t as simple as new lights. Gradually installing the right technology for each environment is only the start of determining how the information gathered can be used to improve the community.
