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F. Firouzi et al.
1.4.6.2 Applications of IoT in Smart City
Here is a sample of some areas where the Internet of Things is making a positive
impact on smart cities.
• Smart Lights – Public outdoor lighting is beneficial to society as it makes public
spaces safer to live and work. Unfortunately, it is also expensive to operate and
often wasteful. Many systems merely use a timer to activate and deactivate the
lights at certain hours of the day. The Internet of Things can make the system
more efficient. Using sensors to monitor usage and activity at the lights, they
can be directed to activate the lights only when needed. They can adapt the
lighting settings to environmental conditions, such as fog or rain, when visibility
has decreased. Lights can also be used to assist emergency responders or law
enforcement by providing more lights in high-crime areas or when an accident
has occurred. Real-time data about the lights themselves can provide operational
status, making maintenance and replacement tasks proactive. This can increase
the longevity and operational time of the lights while reducing maintenance costs.
• Traffic – Traffic lights can also benefit from the sensing and command possibilities of being connected by the Internet of Things. Real-time traffic data can
be used to smooth traffic loads throughout cities. The goals are to reduce idling
time, to improve flow and runtimes through the city, and to reduce pollution
and fuel use. The data can be collected from cameras and correlated with data
from vehicle counters. The ideal system would integrate traffic data with private
navigation applications, so that a centralized view of the city can help direct
drivers to balance routes. With smart traffic light technology and sensors on
roadways, vehicle accidents can be detected more quickly, and assistance can be
dispatched to the scene more efficiently. The path of the responders (e.g., police,
ambulance) can be expedited, and even emergency rooms can be alerted so they
can be prepared to receive victims. These efficiencies will help to make our roads
safer.
• Smart Parking – Parking in a congested city can be frustrating and wasteful. With
access to data about traffic patterns and open parking spots, applications can help
citizens to locate and travel to available parking more efficiently. Kansas City
in the United States and Paris in Europe have already implemented IoT smart
parking solutions.
• Smart Water – Every city needs to manage its water supply. Water treatment
plants must treat potable water for citizens, and a distribution system must deliver
this water to residents. Currently, up to 20% of water is lost from the network
because of leaks. It is difficult to predict water demand, and without accurate
predictions, treatment plants can run inefficiently. The Internet of Things sensors
can be used to improve water metering, leakage detection, planning for increased
distribution, and understanding water use. Having better, more accurate data
helps when creating water usage models, which improves predictions. More
accurate water meters make water bills more accurate and build trust between
F. Firouzi et al.
1.4.6.2 Applications of IoT in Smart City
Here is a sample of some areas where the Internet of Things is making a positive
impact on smart cities.
• Smart Lights – Public outdoor lighting is beneficial to society as it makes public
spaces safer to live and work. Unfortunately, it is also expensive to operate and
often wasteful. Many systems merely use a timer to activate and deactivate the
lights at certain hours of the day. The Internet of Things can make the system
more efficient. Using sensors to monitor usage and activity at the lights, they
can be directed to activate the lights only when needed. They can adapt the
lighting settings to environmental conditions, such as fog or rain, when visibility
has decreased. Lights can also be used to assist emergency responders or law
enforcement by providing more lights in high-crime areas or when an accident
has occurred. Real-time data about the lights themselves can provide operational
status, making maintenance and replacement tasks proactive. This can increase
the longevity and operational time of the lights while reducing maintenance costs.
• Traffic – Traffic lights can also benefit from the sensing and command possibilities of being connected by the Internet of Things. Real-time traffic data can
be used to smooth traffic loads throughout cities. The goals are to reduce idling
time, to improve flow and runtimes through the city, and to reduce pollution
and fuel use. The data can be collected from cameras and correlated with data
from vehicle counters. The ideal system would integrate traffic data with private
navigation applications, so that a centralized view of the city can help direct
drivers to balance routes. With smart traffic light technology and sensors on
roadways, vehicle accidents can be detected more quickly, and assistance can be
dispatched to the scene more efficiently. The path of the responders (e.g., police,
ambulance) can be expedited, and even emergency rooms can be alerted so they
can be prepared to receive victims. These efficiencies will help to make our roads
safer.
• Smart Parking – Parking in a congested city can be frustrating and wasteful. With
access to data about traffic patterns and open parking spots, applications can help
citizens to locate and travel to available parking more efficiently. Kansas City
in the United States and Paris in Europe have already implemented IoT smart
parking solutions.
• Smart Water – Every city needs to manage its water supply. Water treatment
plants must treat potable water for citizens, and a distribution system must deliver
this water to residents. Currently, up to 20% of water is lost from the network
because of leaks. It is difficult to predict water demand, and without accurate
predictions, treatment plants can run inefficiently. The Internet of Things sensors
can be used to improve water metering, leakage detection, planning for increased
distribution, and understanding water use. Having better, more accurate data
helps when creating water usage models, which improves predictions. More
accurate water meters make water bills more accurate and build trust between