IoT has already transformed many aspects of our day-to-day lives and revolutionized the industrial world. In addition to its many industrial applications, IoT transforms what was once just an exciting and futuristic concept into reality. Early depictions of smart cities date back to the 70s – since then, the concept of smart cities has evolved to keep up with new technological developments. Finally, the rise of the internet and the development of connected devices such as sensors brought us to where we are today.
Today the development of smart cities is being prioritized by governments and innovators around the globe. Belief in the potential growth of smart cities is so strong that Statista estimates that by 2023 technology spending on smart city initiatives will reach $189.5 billion a year, double the amount that was spent in 2018. While smart cities and the vast networks of interconnected devices they create have many benefits, broad and intricate IoT networks have a wide variety of challenges, making it essential to have the right management tools.
What is a Smart City?
Generally defined as a city where traditional networks and technological services are made more efficient through digital solutions, smart cities utilize network and device technology to increase the efficiency of corporate and industrial tasks. Smart cities also improve residents’ quality of life regarding comfort, accessibility of services, reduced environmental impacts, reduced traffic, and more.
Smart cities use advanced technology, especially IoT devices, to manage data from a city-wide network of devices to optimize services such as transportation, education, healthcare, and waste disposal. Smart cities also include Smart Buildings and their various components, including HVAC and lighting, security & surveillance, space management, environmental monitoring, hygiene and cleaning management, and thermal comfort. Each component requires specific solutions, such as monitoring and surveillance technology, wearables, etc. The cities can then better address their residents’ needs while increasing safety and reducing the environmental impact of these processes.
7 Smart City Solutions
Creating smart cities is challenging, so it’s vital to have the right tools for the job. There are a wide variety of solutions designed to address different smart-city needs, and we’ve narrowed it down to some of the most relevant, listed below:
1. Robustel
Robustel is a manufacturer specializing in connectivity solutions for the IoT market. The company provides solutions that address a variety of smart city use-cases, including sensors for lighting management, smart elevator management, and lighting control. In addition, the company specializes in smart transportation management, offering solutions that connect cameras, sensors, and other data-collecting technology to share data to a central server; this allows operators to make informed decisions based on real situations. The company’s various products simplify the creation of IoT networks with wide-reaching connective solutions that are easily scalable to keep up with growing and shifting requirements.
2. FirstPoint
Security challenges can quickly turn catastrophic and disrupt basic infrastructures such as smart bins, smart street lights, traffic control, flood detection, parking, and more. FirstPoint protects IoT networks from threats and vulnerabilities by detecting attacks ahead of time and mitigating them before they cause significant damage.
FirstPoint provides a seamlessly-scalable IoT connectivity management platform for SIM-based devices on public and private mobile networks. This platform gives cellular connectivity management, visibility, and total control over IoT devices. It also has extensive security capabilities that can easily be configured per device or group of devices.
The company’s solutions resolve the smart city’s common need of interconnecting city silo’s to reduce operational complexity by unifying the data ingestion, process, and analysis in one platform. Furthermore, the solution is device-agnostic and capable of handling the unique challenges of any generation of cellular technology, from 2G to 5G and beyond, including IoT optimal technologies of NB-IoT and LTE-M.
3. Connexin
Connexin specializes in creating IoT solutions for smart water and utility management. Connexin provides an end-to-end solution with a strong focus on IoT deployment and less of a focus on management. It begins by designing and building its IoT networks. These networks then collect data that can be used to react to challenges in the utility sector, such as leakages, over-consumption, and pollution incidents.
4. Kaa
Kaa offers a technology-independent enterprise IoT platform, which provides solutions for challenges in road infrastructure, public services, and smart buildings. The solution uses sensors, meters, and other data-gathering devices to monitor power distribution, water consumption, traffic, and gas emission. Features include smart traffic and street lights, smart waste containers, and other smart solutions that provide data allowing operators to make real-time decisions.
5. Telenor
Telenor is a secure cloud platform for IoT devices and data management. The system allows you to utilize data to gain information on the connected products in your network and gives you the tools you need to connect your devices and collect the data they gather. The system includes a self-service tool and customizable application to scale the solution. In addition, the solution offers features such as real-time monitoring design. Telenor specializes in solutions that address the challenges of the electrical sector, providing data that allows operators to respond to supply constraints and peak demand times.
6. Telit
Telit is an IoT connectivity management platform that enables the connective processes required for smart city management. The solution specializes in utility management solutions that provide data that allows operators to implement money-saving and environmental water and waste management solutions. This data is collected from various devices and can also help prevent system failure and enable operators to utilize analytics to optimize resource use.
7. Libelium
Libelium provides the hardware required for smart city operations, such as sensors and monitoring systems that track water usage, parking times, and noise and pollution mapping. Each device addresses a specific challenge, such as air quality monitors that provide data to minimize air pollution, water sensors to prevent wastage, and sensors that can monitor sound and implement smart lighting.
What Smart Cities mean for the future?
Implementing smart city solutions can increase the general quality of life and ease global challenges such as pollution and water/power wastage. But as these projects grow larger and more ambitious, managing increasingly intricate networks becomes more challenging, and an IoT connectivity management platform becomes essential. FirstPoin’s multi-functional platform allows you to manage and scale your complex infrastructure, ensuring complete visibility and control of your connectivity and improving operations and logistics, all with security in mind. Request a demo of FirstPoint today to learn more about how FirstPoint can help you manage your IoT infrastructure.
