PEOPLE-SMART CITIES

Digital technologies are evolving rapidly, transforming the future of cities, but for urban centres to be truly liveable and sustainable, people must be at the core of the vision.

- Words by Emma Nuttall

Smart devices, from wearable technologies to phones, have undergone a significant evolution over the past decade, evolving from niche tools into indispensable technologies that millions of people use daily.

Initially focused on fitness tracking and communication, these devices now serve a wide variety of functions, from health monitoring to contactless payment systems and access control. They have become integral to our increasingly connected lives.

At the same time, city centres are rapidly changing in response to technological advancements and the growing demand for sustainability. As populations surge, existing infrastructure is struggling to keep up, requiring innovative approaches to city planning and design. Smart technology that shares information between urban assets, and the people who live and work in the city, is part of the solution.

More than half the world's population currently lives in urban cities and this number is projected to grow to 68 per cent over the next 30 years. Urban areas that aren't equipped to handle significant population growth may experience negative impacts such as overburdened infrastructure and environmental degradation that reduces the quality of life for the people who live and work there. The physical security, health and safety of residents also needs to be considered in line with population growth for a city, and its surrounds, to remain economically viable and liveable.

Many cities already use sensing technologies and data analytics to manage urban assets such as roads, public transport and waste systems. According to Dr Nicole Gardner, researcher, architect and author of the book