Abstract
The ongoing diffusion of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is opening new possibilities, and one of the most remarkable applications is associated with the smart city paradigm, which is continuously evolving. In general, it can be defined as the integration of IoT and Information Communication Technologies (ICT) into city management, with the aim of addressing the exponential growth of urbanization and population, thus significantly increasing people’s quality of life. The smart city paradigm is also strictly connected to sustainability aspects, taking into account, for example, the reduction of environmental impact of urban activities, the optimized management of energy resources, and the design of innovative services and solution for citizens. Abiding by this new paradigm, several cities started a process of strong innovation in different fields (such as mobility and transportation, industry, health, tourism, and education), thanks to significant investments provided by stakeholders and the European Commission (EC). In this paper, we analyze key aspects of an IoT infrastructure for smart cities, outlining the innovations implemented in the city of Parma (Emilia Romagna region, Italy) as a successful example. Special attention is dedicated to the theme of smart urban mobility.
Highlights
In between the urban context and Information Communication Technologies (ICT), the term smart city is a relatively recent concept, whose diffusion has been rapidly increasing in the last years
This is even more true in the light of the research directions that several cities around the globe, ranging from Parma, Italy, to Copenhagen, Denmark, and Japan and USA, are undertaking through the adoption of heterogeneous Internet of Things (IoT)-oriented solutions, with the aim of improving their offered services and crucial features which will represent the highway for the future of smart cities
With respect to the different initiatives undertaken by these municipalities, each city will surely benefit from these innovations and will be able to measure these benefits in both quantitative and qualitative ways, by benchmarking their innovation progresses against their current situation, as well as by means of feedback mechanisms directly from their citizens
Summary
In between the urban context and Information Communication Technologies (ICT), the term smart city is a relatively recent concept, whose diffusion has been rapidly increasing in the last years. Through the analysis of the existing literature, we identify the key challenges and propose IoT-based solutions on how a medium-sized city, such as the city of Parma, Emilia Romagna region, Italy, could improve the services offered to its citizens In this way, we want to give a reference to researchers, companies, and institutions from different areas to suggest the main challenges that future smart cities have to face in different technological contexts, together with insights and references for smart cities’ administrators, giving them the opportunity to better approach the technological revolution that will pave the way to the smart cities of the future.
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