BLUF
The future of ‘smart’ cities is in, among other things, smart streetlights.Summary
In Sydney alone, there over 100,000 streetlights which are currently being converted to LED’s, saving around $1m pa. ‘Smart’ LED fixtures can do much more than provide cheap lighting; for example; they can:
- Find parking spaces.
- Analyse traffic patterns.
- Monitor air quality.
- Warn of thunderstorms.
- Bring revenue through advertising.
- Assist emergency services.
- Define emergency routes.
- Host mobile phone equipment.
There are concerns, however, for example:
- Unchecked surveillance.
- Visual pollution.
- Electromagnetic radiation health concerns
Town and city councils can now use technology to upgrade existing infrastructure and services to improve the quality of urban living; for example, note the following initiatives:
- More Effective Waste Management with Smart Bin Technology
- Huawei is developing Smart Roads that interact with driverless cars.
- Portland State University Smart Trees.
- Smart concrete could pave the way for high-tech, cost-effective roads.
Can you think of any other areas that could be enhanced using smart technology?
References
- Aug 2020 Bloomberg In San Diego, ‘Smart’ Streetlights Spark Surveillance Reform
- Sep 2020 Techwire City Pulls Plug on Streetlight Cameras Pending Surveillance Ordinance
- Feb 2021 SmartCitiesWorld Smart street lighting helps Canberra weather the storm
- Feb 2021 USA-ABCNET How tomorrow’s street lighting will transform our cities
