Managing public transport efficiently is one of the major concerns of the big cities. Transportation in an IoT smart city includes information systems that collect data about traffic, vehicles, and usage of different modes of transport. External environmental conditions such as weather and accidents can also be monitored and analyzed so that contingency plans can be created. Public transportation assets such as trains and buses also need to be monitored and maintained to ensure that they are in the best condition to minimize break downs.
This data-driven information is used by the traffic operators to achieve the standardized level of punctuality and security in transportation along with enhancing the traveling experience of the citizens.
Smart cities aim to make the citizens reach the desired destination efficiently and safely. To achieve this aim, municipalities turn to smart traffic solutions which are enabled by IoT technologies.
For instance, monitoring of the green traffic light timing is also enabled by the smart traffic lights which are linked to the cloud management platform. Based on the current traffic situation, the traffic lights are automatically altered and this ultimately prevents traffic congestion on the roads. Furthermore, while utilizing historical data, IoT solutions can predict the future traffic conditions in smart cities and can enable the municipalities to prevent potential congestions.
With IoT and sensor technology, allows real-time data to be obtained about parking availability, both outside and inside, and regarding traffic and road conditions.
With the help of road surface sensors on parking spots and GPS data from the driver’s phone, smart parking solutions identify and mark the parking spots that are available or occupied in real-time.
Alongside, IoT based smart parking solution creates real-time parking map on either mobile or web application. The sensors embedded in the ground send data to the cloud and server which notifies the driver whenever the nearest parking spot is free. Instead of blindly driving around, a smart parking solution helps the driver to find the parking spots easily.
IoT sensors provide crucial data on important water infrastructure conditions to help prevent malfunctions and flooding, as well as increase maintenance crew efficiency. By monitoring the level of water in public water basins such as rivers, channels, dams, or even lakes and seas, you can prevent overflows, track drinking water supply and monitor waste water network and treatment operations.
Also, with IoT-enabled pressure sensors, we could monitor potential issues of fire hydrants in real-time. Get real-time alerts when fire hydrants are in use and how much water is used. Install an accelerometer sensor to send alerts instantly if a hydrant is broken, leaking or malfunctioning. Install a temperature monitor to help prevent cold weather damage in inclement and wintery conditions.
Corporations of every IoT smart city aims to ensure the safety of every citizen.
They have deployed some form of video surveillance & analytics solution. They use CCTV cameras and analytics to detect specific situations such as accidents, crimes, potential threats, or recognize specific features (face recognition, demographics, etc.).
This Smart City use case is particularly beneficial in highly crowded urban areas where humans cannot observe all the information at once and in time.
IoT sensors are attached to the waste containers.
Collection routes can be optimized to save time, energy and money with low-power connected ultrasonic sensors. The sensors also provide valuable data about dumpster usage, emptying cycles and more.
When the waste reaches the threshold, waste truck drivers are immediately notified through the mobile application. Hence, only the full containers are emptied by the truck drivers.
This can consolidate routes to save time, energy, and money.
IoT enabled smart city solutions give citizens complete control over home utilities and save their money as well. Different utility approaches are powered by IoT. These include smart meter and billing solutions, identification of consumption patterns and remote monitoring. Smart meters transfer data to the public utility through a telecom network, making the meter readings reliable. This solution also enables utility companies to accurately bill the amount of gas, energy and water consumed per household. Put an end to manual on-site meter readings and data processing of energy consumption. You can now monitor and optimize your remote assets in real time, detecting issues such as leaks and breakdowns.
This indicates that the IoT not only offers the benefit of utility control to the consumers but also helps the utility companies to manage their resources.
The goal of smart cities is to improve the quality of life. Integration of IoT in medical science has made healthcare pervasive. By providing outpatient care at homes, not only does the cost of healthcare decrease but also the independence of patients and their relatives increase.
Smart Healthcare is deployed by Smart devices. Smart health technologies engage and interact with data produced by smart devices. This data can be then analyzed by doctors, healthcare professionals, and researchers for better diagnosis and treatment. IoT also provides emergency services with new tools to improve their response time of emergencies. These digital solutions save time and expenses for both hospitals and patients.
Environmental changes are affecting every city around the globe. It is increasingly becoming necessary to tackle global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, debris in the sea, and waste on the streets. To protect the environment, IoT smart cities are using solutions like air-quality sensors, energy-efficient buildings, and renewable resources.
For instance, the IoT smart solutions are applicable to measure the air quality, identify the areas where air pollution is critical and recommends solutions to improve the air quality.
For example, help to track low-quality air and identify its causes thus helping in reducing pollution.
Progressive energy management systems, including renewable energy sources such as solar panels on government buildings or wind turbines on public land, help reduce environmental impact.