Bringing together technology, government, and society, smart cities are intelligent, sustainable environments that reduce environmental impact and offer citizens a high quality of life. The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the main technology drivers behind smart cities. And it’s not just the mundane utilitarian applications, such as automated meter reading, monitoring ozone levels, or counting traffic, IoT also brings exciting applications to help citizens and tourists experience and appreciate a city’s culture, history, services, and more. In Engadget’s recent Public Access article, How and Why Smart Cities Can Use IoT to Wow Tourists, Roberto Minerva, IEEE Internet of Things Initiative Chair, elaborates on the exciting applications of IoT for city and culture exploration.
As cities begin to tap into big data, IoT, and other technologies to create these experiences for citizens and tourists, they face privacy and interoperability hurdles. As Roberto shares in his article, the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) is working on numerous IoT projects and standards. For example, IEEE P2413™ – Standard for an Architectural Framework for the Internet of Things (IoT) is helping develop a framework for interoperability among connected devices to allow data sharing across various vertical markets. IEEE SA is dedicated to helping create an interoperable IoT ecosystem for various applications, including smart cities. Along with IEEE SA, the IEEE IoT Initiative and the IEEE Smart Cities Initiative are also working towards developing a bright future for these technologies.