Estimation show that two thirds of the world’s population will reside in metropolitan cities by 2050, consuming 70% of the world’s total energy. With the increase of water wastage and air pollution in regular cities, the need for smart and secure cities has become critical.

IoT (The Internet of Things) is the solution to simply make our lives easier, by connecting our infrastructure to the Internet. By having connected devices with automated systems, IoT gives us the opportunity to be more efficient in how we monoverse our everyday lives, saving us time, money and emissions.

Here are some ways in which IoT is currently being used and further implemented across the world to enhance competence in how our cities operate in various sectors:

 

      1.  Wearables and Apps: These smart devices and smartphone apps allow the collection of citizen data. The data collected helps the automation in reporting of various things ranging from temperature to air quality.

 

    2.   Waste and Recycling: This system is effective in managing public waste and recycling management. The ability to optimize overflowing and pick up times, give citizens and state the ability to control and manage wastage.

 

   3.   Traffic: Driving emissions is one of the biggest factors for air pollution, with the help of smart cars and smartphone apps, we can reduce the toxicity in the air. Programmable message boards and suggested routing are just some of the ways traffic can be controlled, allowing the reduction of air pollution and congestion.

 

  4.  Parking: Smart phone apps can allow future planning of on-street and off-street parking, helping traffic congestion and decreasing the pollution.

 

  5.  Water Distribution: Water wastage can be hugely reduced with the right storage and treatment. Smart water can detect leak detection and help ensure the optimisation.

 

  6.  Transit: Transition information on public transport is increasing rapidly, some cities now track the location of transport as well as timing. Again, this allows the reduction of air pollution and traffic congestion.

 

7.   Energy: Smart energy grids include the integration of solar power and various alternative energy sources. This helps with energy storage as well as reduced bills.

 

8.   Lighting: Smart street lighting can slash energy consumption with the use of LED lights and automated sensors, allowing the street lights to only be in use when there are automobiles and pedestrians.