Data is King
What makes a Smart City Run? Data, Data Data! From dump trucks to school buses and Lite Rail trains, big data projects are already underway. Read on to learn about a few ways today’s public works units are being retrofitted to become critical sources of data in the Smart Cities of tomorrow.
Public Works Devices serving as Data Streams
Dump Trucks
You read that right. Those massive trucks transporting dirt, stone of even trash can serve as critical sources of data. When one begins to think about all of the projects that are happening in and around the city, it becomes quite clear. Dump trucks are everywhere. They travel all major highways and side streets throughout our cities. Why not leverage this vast fleet of trucks for data collection on things like energy leaks and air quality? Well, some of our nations brightest are already doing this. Students from Cambridge University in Massachusetts have already retrofitted five of Boston’s dump trucks with Data Collecting Sensors. Now these units can alert city officials about busted pipes, air pollution, etc. while going about their normal business day. Innovations like this are going to be crucial as Smart Cities are developed coast to coast (credit: www.inverse.com).
School Buses and Lite Rails
School buses also afford a city a wealth of information for residential areas that dump trucks might be less likely to travel. Lite Rails while confined to a track still travel long distances and at regular intervals. They are perhaps the most integral in providing regularly scheduled data for various corridors throughout a city. Outfitting these types of public works systems with Data Collecting Sensors will help cast a web over our cities. The possibilities are virtually endless. Anything from police cars and fire trucks to department of transportation vehicles can and eventually will be outfitted with various tools to give city planners and managers better capabilities in serving the public.