Urban Smart Research Articles

Smart Urban Systems Planning for Active Mobility and Sustainability

This paper bridges a crucial gap in urban transportation systems planning by exploring the integration of Active Mobility (AM) into Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), an area previously overlooked. Despite the significant benefits of walking and cycling for sustainable urban development, ITS have predominantly favored motorized traffic, neglecting AM’s potential to enhance urban sustainability and the quality of life. Based on recent advancements in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), a Smart Active Mobility development framework model is proposed, aimed at improving accessibility, connectivity, and social inclusion for people using non-motorized transport modes. The proposed model introduces a novel framework for embedding AM into urban planning, underlining its essential role in developing smart, sustainable cities. The findings reveal that implementing such a model can lead to substantial improvements in urban mobility, promoting a shift towards more inclusive, environmentally friendly, and health-promoting mobility solutions. The study underscores the imperative for urban planners and policymakers to adopt this model, highlighting the necessity of integrating AM into urban planning for a sustainable, healthy, and economically viable future.

Utilizing Federated Learning for Enhanced Real-Time Traffic Prediction in Smart Urban Environments

Utilizing Federated Learning for Enhanced Real-Time Traffic Prediction in Smart Urban Environments

Co-creation Processes and Urban Digital Twins in Sustainable and Smart Urban District Development - Case Kera District in Espoo, Finland.

In the context of climate change mitigation, calls for methods that can facilitate co-creative practices and processes between different stakeholders in the development of sustainable and climate-neutral urban districts have been increasingly expressed in recent years. This has included calls for collaborative, accessible, transparent and open tools that can facilitate urban development processes and engage different stakeholders in the different phases and stages of an urban district development process towards shared targets on sustainability and emission reduction. In this paper, we present and examine two practical tools, 1) a co-creation model for developing positive energy district (PED) solutions, and 2) a digital twin tool for shared data sharing and collaboration, which were developed and utilized recently in two development projects focusing on Kera district, Espoo, Finland. The Kera district is a current brownfield area, which, since the early 2020s, has been undergoing a transformation from a former industrial and mass logistics area into a future mixed-use urban district with significant emphasis on sustainability and circular economy targets. We utilize actor-network theory (ANT) to explore the human and the non-human actors and their interrelations related to the district's development. Additionally, we seek to understand the networks that emerge within both the co-creation process and the virtual urban digital twin environment and the role these tools have in supporting the formation and facilitation of multi-stakeholder co-creation networks. Finally, we aim to examine the advantages and disadvantages of integrating a regional urban digital twin and the urban co-creation process to enhance sustainability in urban development projects.

Smart Urban Metamorphosis: Revolutionising through Synergized Lean Supply Chains and IoT Integration: A Case Study

Smart Urban Metamorphosis: Revolutionising through Synergized Lean Supply Chains and IoT Integration: A Case Study

Digital lives and data-driven smart urbanism of Rob Kitchin: An agenda of urban social geography

Digital lives and data-driven smart urbanism of Rob Kitchin: An agenda of urban social geography

Study of the Feasibility of Regeneration of Central Worn-Out Textures of Ilam City Based on Urban Smart Growth Approach

Study of the Feasibility of Regeneration of Central Worn-Out Textures of Ilam City Based on Urban Smart Growth Approach

The Impact of Interactions between Resources, Technology, and Technical Aspects of Autonomous Vehicles on Urban Smart Spaces

Objective: As urban populations grow, the demand for smarter and more efficient urban spaces becomes increasingly critical. The advent of autonomous vehicles also presents opportunities and challenges in shaping the future of smart cities. This article examines the complex interactions between resources, technology, and technical aspects of autonomous vehicles and their impact on urban spaces. Methodology: A comprehensive research methodology was employed to assess the impact of interactions between resources, technology, and technical aspects of autonomous vehicles on smart urban spaces. This included a review of the literature, data analysis, case studies, and simulations. By integrating findings from various sources and methods, a complete understanding of the subject was achieved. Findings: The findings of this study highlight the multifaceted impact of interactions between resources, technology, and technical aspects of autonomous vehicles on smart urban spaces. Despite their enormous potential to reduce traffic, enhance safety, and improve urban mobility, these interactions raise concerns about privacy, infrastructure compatibility, and equitable access. Conclusion: Therefore, it is essential for policymakers, urban planners, and technologists to collaborate in developing strong frameworks and regulations to harness the benefits of autonomous vehicle technology while mitigating potential challenges. By promoting innovation and inclusive urban development, cities can leverage the transformative power of autonomous vehicle technology to create smarter, more sustainable, and livable urban environments for all citizens.

Smart Urban Farming Based on Internet of Things Using Soil Moisture Control and Application of Liquid Fertilizer to Mustard

Smart Urban Farming Based on Internet of Things Using Soil Moisture Control and Application of Liquid Fertilizer to Mustard

Community approaches to socio-economic aspects of urban energy transition

The increasing proliferation of energy-intensive devices in urban smart homes presents a pressing challenge to the stability of electrical systems, manifesting as the potential for peak load issues, unexpected disruptions, and a consequential decline in economic returns. This research is dedicated to the meticulous optimization of energy consumption, achieved through the implementation of intelligent scheduling protocols for household devices, all while factoring in their distinct characteristics and user preferences. The primary objective of this paper is to introduce a holistic engineering framework tailored to analyze the intricate dynamics of household energy consumption behaviors, with a particular emphasis on the community-level context prevalent in smart urban environments. In addressing the inherent intricacy and nonlinearity inherent in multi-objective challenges within this domain, our proposal revolves around the deployment of a specialized whale optimization algorithm. This algorithm offers a powerful tool to efficiently navigate the complexities of optimization problems, yielding solutions that approach near-optimality. Empirical findings stemming from our experimentation robustly affirm the efficacy of our proposed algorithm. They indicate substantial reductions in energy expenditure, heightened levels of customer satisfaction, and a more equitably balanced load distribution throughout the primary grid. These outcomes, in turn, contribute significantly to the overarching enhancement of global power system performance, all the while aligning harmoniously with the socio-economic considerations central to urban energy transition endeavors.

The 5G revolution: Tackling challenges in smart cities and intelligent transportation systems

<div><p>The use of cutting-edge technology and data systems to increase the effectiveness, safety, and environmental responsibility of transport networks is known as intelligent transportation systems (ITS). In order to improve many elements of transportation, ITS incorporates a wide range of technologies, including sensors, communication networks, data analytics, and robots. By addressing the shortcomings of the current 4G network, the next mobile technology, 5G, challenges the electronic communication environment as it stands. By allowing a large number of concurrent connections and networks ubiquitous, even in high mobility scenarios or densely inhabited places, such Smart trains and smart cities (SC) are made possible by cutting-edge technology a new approach of becoming fully integrated. According to this strategy; 5G will enable the true Internet of Things (IoT) and its related automobiles on the World Wide Web (WWW). This conversation attempts to thoroughly explain how 5G wireless networks will impact urban smart transport networks, including semi-autonomous or self-driving cars, and automotive communication over the coming years, as well as any technical, economical, and regulatory issues.</p></div>

Beyond informality: Expanding the scope of Southern smart urbanism

Prasad et al.'s (2023) article, ‘Smart City Planning and the Challenges of Informality in India’, makes an important contribution to understanding the limitations of smart city planning practices in a Southern context. However, whilst informality is a dominant feature of Southern urbanism, the appropriation of smart technologies by those at the margins tells an expanded story of smart urbanism from the bottom up, thereby challenging the underpinning notions of planning and smart urbanism.

Smart urbanism, citizen-centric approaches and integrated environmental services in transit-oriented development in Jakarta, Indonesia

This research elucidates the intricate landscape of citizen preferences within Jakarta's Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) domain, navigating through environmental services integration and smart city initiatives. With Jakarta experiencing exponential urbanization, TOD is a pivotal strategy to amalgamate residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, seamlessly coupled with effective public transportation systems. However, achieving optimal urban living within TODs demands a deep understanding of Jakarta's citizens' diverse and nuanced preferences and needs. This study fills significant gaps in the existing literature by investigating citizen preferences' heterogeneity and willingness to pay (MWTP) for integrated environmental services in TODs. Employing advanced methodologies like the Random Parameter Logit (RPL) and the Latent Class Model (LCM), this research offers a granular insight into citizens' varied preferences and their financial commitments toward enhanced environmental services. The insights derived have been crucial in formulating pragmatic recommendations for refining TOD management strategies and policies in Jakarta, ultimately contributing to urban landscapes' equitable and sustainable development. Through a detailed exploration of preference heterogeneity and the integration of smart city concepts within TOD frameworks, this study paves the way for more inclusive, innovative, and citizen-centric urban development paradigms.

Creative Futuring for More-Than-Human Worlds: Exhibitions as Sites to Ponder Environmental Governance

Abstract The article presents the Smart Urban Governance for More-than-Human Future(s) anthology, comprising six speculative creative works. It draws on techniques of futuring as a methodology to explore how creative practice as an act of futuring and exhibitions as sites to ponder environmenta governance can empower more-than-human futures. Reporting on participatory observations and semistructured interviews with the exhibition audience the article posits that creative futuring can empower futures by developing awareness that environmental governance can facilitate nonhuman agencies that conserve and repair the ecological world.

Green and Smart Urban Development: A Comparative Studies Between Cities of Romania, Canada and Denmark

Abstract Due to the fact that the planet’s resources are limited and human exploitation has led to unprecedented environmental pollution, sustainability has become a concept of great importance in recent years, especially in the context of very rapid and large-scale urban development. The green city is a form of sustainable city focused mainly on the creation of green spaces, which helps, among other things, to reduce pollution, to combat climate change and to create a more favorable environment for people. Green infrastructure is the main element that characterizes this type of sustainable city, the dynamics of the use of the term in specialized studies showing an upward trend. Interest in the notion of green city has seen a major increase in the last 8 years, highlighting the need to create a more nature-friendly way of urban development. The country that stands out regarding its contribution in terms of studies carried out on the theme of green city is China, while Romania is one of the countries where this subject is very little researched. A cluster analysis of cities in Romania, Denmark and Canada provides a valuable perspective, namely that Romanian cities are the most polluted and have very few green spaces per capita, suggesting the existence of problems with government policies to transform the cities into ones that respect the environment more.

The rise of AI urbanism in post-smart cities: A critical commentary on urban artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as an impactful feature of the life, planning and governance of 21st-century cities. Once confined to the realm of science fiction and small-scale technological experiments, AI is now all around us, in the shape of urban artificial intelligences including autonomous cars, robots, city brains and urban software agents. The aim of this article is to critically examine the nature of urbanism in the emergent age of AI. More specifically, we shed light on how urban AI is impacting the development of cities, and argue that an urbanism influenced by AI, which we term AI urbanism, differs in theory and practice from smart urbanism. In the future, the rise of a post-smart urbanism driven by AI has the potential to form autonomous cities that transcend, theoretically and empirically, traditional smart cities. The article compares common practices and understandings of smart urbanism with emerging forms of urban living, urban governance and urban planning influenced by AI. It critically discusses the limitations and potential pitfalls of AI urbanism and offers conceptual tools and a vocabulary to understand the urbanity of AI and its impact on present and future cities.

CA-YOLOX: Deep Learning-Guided Road Intersection Location From High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images

The location of road intersection from high resolution remote sensing (HRRS) images can be automatically obtained by deep learning. This has become one of the current data sources in urban smart transportation. However, limited by the small size, diverse types, complex distribution, and missing sample labels of road intersections in actual scenarios, it is difficult to accurately represent key features of road intersection by deep neural network (DNN) model. A new coordinate attention (CA) module-YOLOX (CA-YOLOX) method for accurately locating road intersections from HRRS images is presented. First, the spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) module is introduced into the backbone convolution network between the Darknet-53’ last feature layer and feature pyramid networks (FPN) structure. Second, the CA module is embedded into the feature fusion structure in FPN to focus more on the spatial shape distribution and texture features of road intersections. Third, we use focal loss to replace the traditional binary cross entropy (BCE) loss in the confidence loss to improve the iteration speed of the CA-YOLOX network. Finally, an extensive empirical experiment on Potsdam, IKONOS datasets, and ablation study is then implemented and tested. The results show that the presented CA-YOLOX method can promote the location accuracy of road intersection from HRRS images compared to the traditional You only look once (YOLO) model.

Evaluation of challenges to the adoption of intelligent transportation system for urban smart mobility

Implementing Intelligent Transport System (ITS) presents many challenges despite its potential to enhance mobility, reduce congestion, and improve traffic management in urban regions. Previous research has focused on investigating the obstacles associated with implementing ITS in particular settings. However, a more all-encompassing comprehension of the effects of these challenges on intelligent urban mobility is required. The objective of this research is to examine the obstacles that affect the execution of ITS within the context of intelligent urban mobility. The present study makes a scholarly contribution by identifying and analyzing the key challenges that hinder the execution of ITS for intelligent urban mobility. The research utilized both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the data obtained from a questionnaire survey administered to professionals in transport and urban planning. The findings suggest that the successful implementation of ITS for smart urban mobility is significantly influenced by various challenges, including technical, resource-related, interoperability, management, personal, and economic factors. The results of the study have various implications for management. Urban planners and transport professionals must prioritize resolving the challenges identified in this study to ensure the successful implementation of ITS. The study's sample was limited to professionals exclusively from the transport and urban planning sectors, thereby precluding the inclusion of viewpoints from other relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, the research was constrained to a particular geographical area. Subsequent research endeavors may consider enlarging the sample size and extending the geographic range to enhance the applicability of the results.

Smart cities and their settings in the Global South: Informality as a marker

Smart cities have gained increased traction worldwide. This commentary situates smart cities in the context of Southern urban settings. I demystify urban informality and recast informality as a valuable marker in the study of smart cities. Reiterating Prasad et al.'s appeal to explore the centrality of informality for smart city planning and development in the Global South, I contend that informality holds epistemic value, particularly in highlighting smart city diversity, heterogeneity, and incompleteness. Accordingly, I advocate for a critical lens and analysis that fosters a more open and inclusive understanding of the intersection of informality and smart urbanism.

Do Green Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Smart Urbanization Reduce Environmental Pollution in China?

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, China faces numerous environmental challenges, including air and water pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. Adopting green ICT and smart urbanization is a critical strategy to address these challenges. At the heart of this study lies the question: Do green ICT adoption and smart urbanization contribute positively to environmental pollution reduction? Therefore, this study intends to scrutinize the influence of green ICT and smart urbanization on environmental pollution in China, focusing on the period from 1996 to 2021. The most up-to-date method of structural modeling, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), was used to estimate the quantitative connection between green ICT, smart urbanization, and environmental pollution. The findings of the structural model show that only the path coefficient between smart urbanization and environmental pollution is significant and negative. Renewable energy consumption directly and negatively influences environmental pollution, whereas smart urbanization directly and positively affects renewable energy consumption and green ICT. Consequently, renewable energy consumption and green ICT negatively influence environmental pollution. Based on the findings, the study proposes targeted public policy recommendations aimed at fostering the development of green ICT and smart urbanization initiatives in China.

The spatial development of peripheralisation: The case of smart city projects in Romania

AbstractThis article addresses the uneven territorial growth of the smart city phenomenon and how the national and local spatial politics of urban smart projects work out in practice. While in previous decades the concept of smart city referred mainly to the digital and technological realm as an indicator of the performance of cities, today it is taking on a broader range of meanings, so as to also cover such areas as governance, environment, housing and people. However, the critical literature on smart cities highlights two potential disadvantages: firstly, that urban planners who decide to pursue a smart city vision run the risk of creating a kind of power and control over residents; and secondly that there appears to be an incompatibility between smart cities and the informal. Moreover, the spatial and the critical dimensions of the governance of urban smart projects are still insufficiently researched. By using a comparative and developmental quantitative methodology for the urban smart projects of Romania and taking the city of Timisoara as a case study, this study highlights the fact that large cities are not always the best represented; our findings show that peripheral small cities and towns may enjoy a more balanced distribution of smart projects. Furthermore, our evaluation of the spatial distribution (centre–periphery) of smart city projects in Timişoara—a European Capital of Culture in 2023—reveals a higher level of investment in smart projects in its urban periphery. By presenting new critical understandings of the spatial interrelationships of smart city development, the study contributes to the geography of smart cities.