Smart City Solutions Research Articles

IoTMapper: A Metrics Aggregation System Architecture in Support of Smart City Solutions.

Smart cities are, nowadays, an unavoidable and growing reality, supported on software platforms that support city management, through the processing and presentation of a large number of data, obtained from sensors used throughout the cities. Low-power wide area networks (LPWAN) leverage the sensorization process; however, urban landscape, in turn, induces a high probability of change in the propagation conditions of the LPWAN network, thus requiring active monitoring solutions for assessing the city LPWAN network condition. Currently existing solutions usually consider the existence of only one type of LPWAN network to be monitored. In this paper, an architecture for aggregation of metrics from heterogeneous LPWAN networks is presented. The architecture, named IoTMapper, combines purpose build components with existing components from the FIWARE and Apache Kafka ecosystems. Implementation details for the LPWAN networks are abstracted by adapters so that new networks may be easily added. The validation was carried out using real data collected for long-range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) in Lisbon, and a simulated data set extrapolated from the collected data. The results indicate that the presented architecture is a viable solution for metrics aggregation that may be expanded to support multiple networks. However, some of the considered FIWARE components present performance bottlenecks that may hinder the scaling of the architecture while processing new message arrivals.

Using FIWARE and blockchain in smart cities solutions.

Nowadays, Blockchain has been widely used to store decentralized and secure transactions involving cryptocurrency, e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. However, Blockchain can also store other types of information besides monetary transactions. On the other hand, innovative solutions for smart cities are concerned with how services and information can be safely stored and shared. For this reason, smart city systems can benefit from using Blockchain to integrate their data and services. These smart solutions also demand consistency and standardization across the industry. However, this Blockchain integration varies according to its implementation. FIWARE, a framework of an open-source platform for smart solutions, adopts NGSI Standards (Context Information Management (CIM); NGSI-LD API: Tech. Rep., CIM and ETSI Industry Specification Group (ISG), 2020) to enable the integration of components and provides the basis for interoperability and portability among smart solutions. Unfortunately, FIWARE does not support any integration with Blockchain technology. Hence, this paper proposes a set of new components to allow FIWARE to be integrated with Blockchain technology. With these proposed components, it is possible to support Blockchain technology with smart city applications via the FIWARE platform. For instance, we have designed and implemented a FIWARE Blockchain adapter to submit/listen to transactions from/to FIWARE Context Broker to/from any Blockchain implementation without human intervention. In addition, we present a global post-pandemic vaccination case study to evaluate the proposed approach in the Smart City context.

Progress of Standardization of Urban Infrastructure in Smart City

After the Smart City initiative was put forward, cities all over the world started the pilot practice of developing Smart Cities. This triggered a series of thoughts: what is a Smart City, how do we determine the scope of work of a Smart City, and how do we formulate a new strategic agenda of the Smart City to make city smarter and more sustainable? The answer lies not only in finding Smart City solutions, but also leads to the research on the definition of Smart City terminology and the determination of corresponding tasks. Stakeholders of Smart City (e.g., policy makers, municipalities, solution providers, industry, and academia) develop technical and management standards for these tasks jointly. This paper reports the standardization planning on Smart City by the international standardization development organizations (SDOs), that is, the standardization framework of Smart City. It also presents one of the important aspects, namely, the progress of standardization activities on urban infrastructure that are being carried out by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) via its Study Group 20, in supporting the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Smart City. These standards include the classification of urban infrastructure, the interoperability between urban infrastructure and smart city platforms, and the requirements of detailed infrastructure from the perspective of ICT and the Internet of things (IoT). This paper also provides the use cases of application of some standards in global cities.

Invisible in the smart city: Using participatory design methods for age-friendly solutions

Older adults face unique challenges and have differing needs when navigating the urban environment. At the same time, civil servants and policymakers in cities are facing difficulties in promoting age-friendly initiatives due to the lack of knowledge, data, and tools about and for older adults. In this context, smart cities can play a key role in increasing the participation of older adults (i.e., 65 years and older) by collecting the data needed to provide knowledge of and design tools for older adults. However, using smart city data to inform policy making is made more difficult by several existing issues such as aggregated nonage-specific big data, lack of data altogether, and a disparity in access and use of digital technology. This paper endeavors to provide a methodology to ensure that the older adults are represented in the collected data and the translation of this data into automatic policy-making decisions. The Participation for Policy for Older Adults (PAR4POA) method introduces older adults' perspectives from the start of the project and its iterative approach means that older adults will share their needs and values with policymakers at different stages of a project. The use of this method enabled the co-creation of smart city solutions targeted to address the needs of older citizens in the context of 3 European regions. The PAR4POA method is specifically altered for the situation of older adults but could easily be used to include other marginalized populations. Ensuring participation in the automatic policy-making arena will empower marginalized populations and provide representation in data previously not provided.

A Survey of Parking Solutions for Smart Cities

Existing surveys look at parking solutions from the perspective of sensors, communication protocols, and the hardware-software interface. While this is a worthwhile approach, it suffers from three obvious shortcomings, namely that present-day sensors are likely to become obsolete in a few years, communication protocols get discontinued, and present-day software will almost certainly not run on tomorrow’s platforms. Consequently, these approaches are not promising for the Smart Cities of the near future. Unlike previous surveys, we look at parking in Smart Cities through the lens of market-based allocation of goods and services. In competitive markets prices act as signals used to allocate goods to those who value them most. In the case of parking spots, some drivers are willing to pay higher prices for the use of those parking spots that offer them the highest utility. What makes our survey unique is that we are looking at the recent literature with an eye for market-oriented solutions including pricing as an instrument for shaping traffic and for incentivizing socially-desirable driver behavior. We believe that one of the important contributions of any survey paper, over and above being a compendium of known art, is to suggest new lines of research. With this in mind, we have peppered the manuscript with slightly unorthodox perspectives. These perspectives are intended to be thought-provoking and to open new avenues for possible investigations.

Enhancing the Replication Potential of Smart Lighting Projects

To address major threats to the sustainability and quality of life in urban settings, many municipalities have started exploring routes toward smarter cities to, for example, lower their energy consumption and carbon footprint. These explorations, in the form of living labs or other pilot projects, often suffer from major problems in scaling up the initial try-outs. In this study, we identify the mechanisms that facilitate the diffusion of smart city solutions, which are developed with public funds but typically lack dedicated resources to spur the diffusion of these solutions within the same municipality as well as toward other municipalities. We introduce the construct of embedded replication potential, defined as the capacity of an original project to be either scaled up locally or replicated elsewhere. Subsequently, empirical findings from a study of smart lighting projects in several municipalities in northwestern Europe serve to develop a checklist-based tool for assessing the embedded replication potential of an initial project. This tool can also be used to assess the replication potential of other smart city projects.

Electronic services or smart cities – Current experiences and perspectives in the Slovak Republic

Smart City solutions are these days applied not only in big, but also in small and medium sized cities in a wide variety of countries worldwide. Also municiplaties in the Slovak Republic are using to a different extent smart city solutions to improve the life of their people. The goal of this paper, based on the premises, that also small and medium sized cities can become Smart City, is to present and analyse good examples of Smart City solutions in the Slovak Republic. The focus will be on the city Kezmarok, which can be considered as a medium sized city and which by implementing existing Smart City solutions from third parties, but mainly by developing innovative solutions directly in the city, can be seen as good example and good practise in the respective field.

Multimodal Transport Solutions for Smart Cities

The research article has shown the multimodal transport solutions for smart cities in India. The researcher has discussed the concept of multimodal transport solution, problems and also characteristics for the solution of multimodal transport systems in the smart cities. The main findings are to show that the multimodal system has the capacity to overcome the issues of smart cities. It also has power to mitigate traffic issues which take place that take place in different cities. The system develops the product delivery times, reduces many inventory costs and also keeps the shipment costs under control. Keyword :Multimodal transport solution, Smart cities, communication technology.

End-User Approach to Evaluating Costs and Benefits of Smart City Applications

As a part of an ongoing series of studies in the smart city domain from the perspective of end-users, the paper presents the results of an exploratory survey based on the cost-benefit analysis of different smart city solutions from users' point of view. Starting from a list of benefits and costs for four selected smart city applications (smart parking, water quality monitoring, air quality monitoring, and real-time traffic monitoring) that was generated by a young demographic of (future and current) users, a survey was organised to classify, reduce and evaluate the initial set of items. The respondents rated the identified potential benefits and costs of using the applications as a part of an integrated smart city solution. The results of a multivariate analysis based on the feedback from over 200 participants are presented in the paper. The main factors of identified perceived costs and benefits are indicated, and the link with the intention to use an integrated smart city application is reviewed.

Challenges of LoRaWAN technology in smart city solutions

Challenges of LoRaWAN technology in smart city solutions

Using digital social market applications to incentivise active travel: Empirical analysis of a smart city initiative

• We evaluate the effectiveness of a Digital Social Market tool to promote active travel in an empirical context. • Exploratory factor analysis and negative binomial regression are used for the investigation. • Results show a positive correlation between DSM app engagement (posts, “claps”, non-monetary rewards) and the level of active travel. • Lifestyles, attitudes, and social influence also explain the variability in cycling and walking. Information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as mobile communication networks, and behaviour-based approaches for citizen engagement play a key role in making future cities sustainable and tackling persistent problems in high-density urban areas. In the context of Sharing Cities, an EU-funded programme aiming to deliver smart city solutions in areas such as citizen participation and infrastructure improvements of buildings and mobility, a prominent intervention has been the deployment and monitoring of a Digital Social Market (DSM) tool in Milan (Italy). The DSM allows cities to engage with residents and encourage sustainable behaviours by offering non-monetary rewards. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the DSM approach to promote active travel (cycling and walking) by analysing the data collected through the app as well as through participant surveys. Our model results show that a broader engagement with the DSM app (number of claps to posts, number of posts made, non-monetary rewards earned by participating in non-travel events) is positively correlated with the monitored level of active travel. Lifestyles, attitudes, and social influence also explain the variability in cycling and walking. This highlights the importance of investigating these factors when replicating such initiatives on a large scale.

ICT and Digital Technology based Solutions for Smart City Challenges and Opportunities

Purpose: Today's Smart Cities are rapidly evolving with the help of the latest tools and technologies and also due to large investment and priority focus by various countries across the globe. Smart Cities while growing also consider the environmental aspects such as producing lower carbon footprint, lower harmful gas emissions, and lower consumption of power. Abiding by this new paradigm, various Smart Cities started focusing on continuous improvement and innovation in their different services. Many Smart Cities have their own pain points such as traffic congestion, water scarcity, energy deficiency, waste management, poor participation of citizens in city administration, maintenance of complex IT Infrastructure, and so on. Such kind of issues may differ in scale and type but mostly common across geographies. While developing, operating, and maintaining Smart Cities, it is necessary to identify the most pressing and urgent issues that Smart City solutions must tackle on priority. In such cases, high-end technologies and tools can help to focus and eliminate the problems. In this paper, we analysed key challenges faced by Smart Cities during the development, operation, and maintenance related activities of various Smart Services and how these challenges and issues are effectively addressed by some of the key technologies with special attention to ICT and digital technologies. We have also reviewed some selected research papers devoted to Smart Cities challenges ad issues and how these issues are addressed using the latest tools and technologies. Finally, we have also specified the future plans about the discussed technical solutions to undertake its full-fledged implementation and addressing of its some of the limitations. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper is based on the primary data collected while preparing research papers written by us on Smart Cities and a systematic literature review of existing literature including journal research papers, book chapters, dedicated websites, and white papers. Findings/Result: Smart Cities various operational and development challenges are effectively get addressed using various ICT and digital technologies. Some of the key technologies that played an important role in addressing some of the key concerns of Smart Cities include IoT, AI and ML, Blockchain, Data Analytics, Digital Twin, 5G, and Cloud Computing. Originality/Value: The Information presented in this paper is genuine and original and based on own research, data collected from industry professionals, systematic literature review of existing relevant research papers, and relevant data analysis and findings. Most of the information presented in this paper is derived from our own research papers written on Smart City services and solutions. Paper Type: Technology oriented Research

Open Data for simulation to determine the efficient management of parking spaces in Smart City

The authors present a proposal for using data simulation tools to create and improve parking space management processes in the article. This paper aims to identify available data sources concerning parking space management and prepare preliminary simulations using the Digital Twin method.The problem of optimization and effective management of parking spaces is one of the main problems faced by modern cities. Therefore, in creating Smart Cities solutions, more and more attention is focused on the possibilities of using advanced ICT tools to improve these processes. According to the authors of the article, such a method can be the creation of the so-called Digital Twin. In order to present the simulation possibilities that can be achieved by using a Digital Twin, the authors identified the chances of obtaining the data resources necessary for creating the simulation. Identification and evaluation of data sources had a character of a pilot study and referred to four car parks located in Wroclaw. The theoretical considerations and research presented in the paper are elements of research on creating Smart City solutions carried out by the team of authors.

A Survey of Emergencies Management Systems in Smart Cities

The rapid urbanization process in the last hundred of years has deeply changed the way we live and interact with each other. As most people now live in urban areas, cities are experiencing growing demands for more efficient and sustainable public services that may improve the perceived quality of life, specially with the anticipated impacts of climatic changes. In this already complex scenario with increasingly overcrowded urban areas, different types of emergency situations may happen anywhere and anytime, with unpredictable costs in human lives and properties damages. In order to cope with often unexpected and potentially dangerous emergencies, smart cities initiatives have been developed in different cities, addressing multiple aspects of emergencies detection, alerting, and mitigation. In this scenario, this article surveys recent smart city solutions for crisis management, proposing definitions for emergencies-oriented systems and classifying them according to the employed technologies and provided services. Additionally, recent developments in the domains of Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are also highlighted when associated to the management of urban emergencies, potentially paving the way for new developments while classifying and organizing them according to different criteria. Finally, open research challenges will be identified, indicating promising trends and research directions for the coming years.

Reinventing Smart Water Management System through ICT and IoT Driven Solution for Smart Cities

Purpose: Worldwide water scarcity is one of the major problems to deal with. Smart Cities also faces this challenging problem due to its ever-increasing population and limited sources of natural water. Additionally, careless usage of water and large water wastage has made the water issues as a serious concern. Today Smart Cities are using advanced technical solutions to deal with various problems, to deal with water shortage problems, Smart Cities uses Smart Water Management System, an intelligent system which distributes and control existing water supply on need basis, and also it facilitates recycling of water for again using for specific activities. In this paper I have provided the overview of Smart Water Management System, its features, and functionalities. I also reviewed available literature on Water Management Systems for Smart Cities and considering the latest tools and technologies and understanding some of the limitations of existing Smart Water Management Systems, I proposed an easy to develop, operate and maintain Smart Water Management Solution called as "iWMS". The proposed conceptual framework of iWMS is modular and is based on secure Blockchain based Application Layer. The iWMS solution supports entire water management and recycling functioning cycle and can easily integrate with other services of Smart Cities. The evaluation of iWMS framework provided very encouraging results. It is revealed that iWMS meets the stated objectives of water savings through automated operation and also through controlled water recycling. Unlike other Smart Water Management Systems, iWMS also carefully complies the cybersecurity requirements. Based on evaluation, the advantages, and limitations of iWMS are also stated in this paper. Finally, I have also specified the future plans about iWMS to undertake its full-fledged implementation and addressing of its limitations. Design/Methodology/Approach: Primary Data collection through Interviews and Questionnaire responses from Industry Professionals, SMEs, and Researchers working on development, operation, and maintenance of Water Management Systems in Smart Cities and secondary data collected through detailed review of existing literature containing Journal Papers, Conference Papers, and Whitepapers available on Water Management Solutions for Smart Cities, are used to derive the new findings and results presented in this research paper. Findings/Result: Smart Water Management System not only efficiently handles water distribution across Smart Cities but also plays an active role in Water Recycling, Water Control and Monitoring, Estimation of the peak water requirements, and detection of water leakage if any. Smart Water Management System is an essential system in Smart Cities and is the backbone behind Smart Water Service of Smart Cities. Originality/Value: The Information presented in this paper is original and genuine and completely based on own data analysis and findings. It is derived from a systematic literature review of existing research papers and whitepapers on Smart Water Management System and interactions carried out with industry professionals, SMEs, and Researchers working on Water Management Solutions. Paper Type: Technology oriented Research

Sustainable Mobility and the Smart City: A Vision of the City of the Future: The Case Study of Cracow (Poland)

The vision of the smart city is inextricably linked with the concepts of intelligent transport, sustainable mobility and managerial decision making. Cities of the future not only entail the use of new technology, but also increasingly the interpenetration of technological and social aspects, with the simultaneous involvement of urban space users in the creation of such technologies. This provides an opportunity to introduce desired changes and create a more balanced space with a higher quality of life and improved energy efficiency. The article discusses the concepts of sustainable development and sustainable mobility with a particular emphasis on issues related to the smart city. The authors reviewed the various smart city solutions that have been implemented in the field of urban transport in Cracow, whose authorities have taken steps over the last few years to make the city smarter and more modern. The aim of the research was to assess the contribution made by smart city solutions to improving the attractiveness and reliability of public transport in Poland’s second-largest city. The undoubted added value of this analysis is the application of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method to evaluate the implemented solutions. It should be pointed out that such an analysis constitutes a new approach in this area. Until now, these models have been used to assess consumer behavior. The results showed that some of the implemented intelligent solutions increase the attractiveness of public transport in Cracow, but this does not square with users’ assessment of reliability. According to users, ecological solutions have no impact on the attractiveness of public transport. Nor do conveniences such as bus lanes, giving priority to public transport vehicles at intersections, and adjusting traffic light regulation to traffic volume, have a positive impact on perceptions of public transport as a reliable means of getting around the city. The results may be of particular importance for the city’s authorities and other stakeholders engaged in strategic activities and the building of a city of the future.

Reinventing Smart Water Management System through ICT and IoT Driven Solution for Smart Cities

Reinventing Smart Water Management System through ICT and IoT Driven Solution for Smart Cities

Prescriptive Analytics in Urban Policing Operations

Problem definition: We consider the case of prescriptive policing, that is, the data-driven assignment of police cars to different areas of a city. We analyze key problems with respect to prediction, optimization, and evaluation as well as trade-offs between different quality measures and crime types. Academic/practical relevance: Data-driven prescriptive analytics is gaining substantial attention in operations management research, and effective policing is at the core of the operations of almost every city in the world. Given the vast amounts of data increasingly collected within smart city initiatives and the growing safety challenges faced by urban centers worldwide, our work provides novel insights on the development and evaluation of prescriptive analytics applications in an urban context. Methodology: We conduct a computational study using crime and auxiliary data on the city of San Francisco. We analyze both strong and weak prediction methods along with two optimization formulations representing the deterrence and response time impact of police vehicle allocations. We analyze trade-offs between these effects and between different crime types. Results: We find that even weaker prediction methods can produce Pareto-efficient outcomes with respect to deterrence and response time. We identify three different archetypes of combinations of prediction methods and optimization objectives that constitute the Pareto frontier among the configurations we analyze. Furthermore, optimizing for multiple crime types biases allocations in a way that generally decreases single-type performance along one outcome metric but can improve it along the other. Managerial implications: Although optimization integrating all relevant crime types is theoretically possible, it is practically challenging because each crime type requires a collectively consistent weight. We present a framework combining prediction and optimization for a subset of key crime types with exploring the impact on the remaining types to support implementation of operations-focused smart city solutions in practice.

Capitalizing on the “Public Turn”: New Possibilities for Citizens and Civil Servants in Smart City-Making

ABSTRACT There is a sharp contrast between the public value discourse that typifies smart city-making on the one hand and its democratic deficit on the other. In this article we explore this contrast in more detail and assess that the paradigm and practices of networked government, which dominates smart city making, positions citizens as “audiences” of smart city makers and civil servants as “shepherds” of their public values. In these positions, both citizens and civil servants participate in a wide array of smart city experiments and engagements. However, an active, autonomous agenda setting role by citizens or democratically legitimated advocacy of civil servants is rare and does not easily fit within the paradigm of networked government. We draw on the work of Dewey and Marres to envision such different roles and make them concrete by highlighting experiences of Dutch citizens and civil servants with urban data and technology. These show, first, that the desires and goals of citizens may differ markedly from those of the smart city, and—second—that civil servants struggle with legitimate ways to advocate for socially and economically balanced smart city solutions. We conclude, in the final section, that the smart city can only be developed further through representative democratic means of engagement, among which local elections that express the collective desires of citizens and frame the mandate of civil servants.

Innovation networks for social impact: An empirical study on multi-actor collaboration in projects for smart cities

This study investigates the factors that drive an innovation network formation comprising companies, government, and society, and the ways these actors contribute and collaborate within a network to develop technologies that have a social impact. A conceptual framework has been developed by combining literature-based arguments and insights from two cases of smart city innovation. This study demonstrates that the innovation network is driven by the activities of searching, acting, and convincing actors of an opportunity to develop smart city solutions. The findings also show that innovation networks emerge not solely from a business goal, but also from a social goal and can still generate business opportunities for companies. Therefore, innovation for smart cities specifically requires a new form of configuration (public–private and citizens’ participation), drivers (economic and social), and resources (technological and non-technological) in both its development and implementation. The analysis of the different configurations suggests more/less effective innovation.