Smart Cities: Challenges and a Sensor-based Solution A research design for sensor-based smart city projects

Abstract

In this article, we present a research design for smart city initiatives, based on the argument that there is a connection between smart cities and the concepts of “smart buildings” and “smart users”. Smart cities refer to “places where information technology is combined with infrastructure, architecture, everyday objects, and even our bodies to address social, economic, and environmental problems”. Smart buildings refer to ICT-enabled and networked constructions such as traffic cameras and lights, buildings and other manmade structures. With inexpensive hardware such as the Raspberry Pi, Intel Edison, Arduino, NodeMCU and their ecosystems of sensors, we can equip these structures with sensors. Smart users refer to the high level of education in developed societies, allowing us to utilize technology such as smart phones to create better cities. Citizens can provide data through their smart phones, and these data can, together with sensor data from buildings, be used to analyze and visualize a range of different variables aimed at creating smarter cities. We propose that a first step of smart city research should be a thorough process of identifying and collecting input from relevant stakeholders in order to find the most relevant objectives for research. Finally, we present case evidence from a pilot study that has followed our approach, which has now received funding for further development.