IOT
“ Many citizens interact with IoT devices and sensors every day , whether they ’ re aware of it or not . These devices include healthcare and fitness gadgets like smartwatches , temperature controls such as air conditioning and heating systems , wwand home security features . However , not all citizens may be familiar with or trusting such technology or how the data is managed and secured ,” he says .
“ It ’ s therefore imperative to overcome any gaps in trust between citizens , businesses , and government . We must work together to create awareness and encourage citizen participation in smart cities because after all , solutions must be developed first and foremost with the citizen ’ s needs and concerns in mind . It ’ s a collaborative process and diverse perspectives are needed .
“ The goal for smart cities should be to utilise insights from data to make a real difference on society and the physical world around us . This means clearly setting out the goals and objectives that will be achieved through deployment of technology or digital solutions .”
As Wanduragala describes , smart city technology has the power to improve lives , but to deliver on this promise , private enterprises and governments need to work together harmoniously . “ For instance , transport companies and central government can improve services by rapid data-sharing at the network ’ s edge . At present , business leaders have been hesitant to collaborate , with less than half of them sharing data with external partners , citing costs and security concerns as barriers .
“ If data is used to its full potential , then it will be a major step-change in the evolution of cities , especially when it comes
“ IT ’ S IMPERATIVE TO OVERCOME ANY GAPS IN TRUST BETWEEN CITIZENS , BUSINESSES , AND GOVERNMENT ”
BJORN ANDERSSON SENIOR DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL DIGITAL INNOVATION MARKETING AND STRATEGY , HITACHI VANTARA
to harnessing the huge amounts of data generated by IoT sensors ,” he concludes . “ IoT technology is pivotal to how smart cities work , delivering data on everything from local weather conditions to traffic information , harvested via networks of sensors across the city .
“ While executives are aware of the power of data , they are still cautious about using it to deal with real-world problems , or perhaps are simply unable to extract its true value to do so .”
88 February 2024