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Kitchener Council recently approved a city-wide municipal ‘narrow band network' which will be installed into new, energy efficient LED streetlights with sensor transmitters inside each of 18 000+ street lights in Kitchener. The project is expected to cost over nine million dollars and implemented before 2018 begins. The narrow band installation will save money, improve the flow of traffic while also allowing for real-time responses to challenges faced in the city daily (accidents, parking, weather). The types of alerts and information communicated from the city to its citizens will be available through data pushes in real-time to mobile phones.
A smart city is best described as an “urban development vision to integrate multiple information and communication technology”. Smart cities are able to assist with managing and monitoring city assets like water and waste for example.
This investment is fantastic news as Kitchener-Waterloo is known for startups, innovation and technology - it’s great that we are about to became smartly, connected. The Region is also investing towards making WIFI more accessible throughout a few public places in the city (parks, public places).
Check out this video to understand how smart-cities work.
Waterloo-Region has the PingStreet app which provides information about parking, events and waste management.
smart cities are able to:
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pull live video feeds (so we can avoid traffic and plan better commutes)
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reduce pollution while saving money (street lights use a lot of electricity and maintenance)
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remotely control street lights (by dimming them, turning them off or notifying when burnt off)
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monitor snow levels and black ice on the streets during winter
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assist with finding available parking spots
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read meters
#DigitalKitchener is the focus and strategy as Waterloo Region is known a tech capital- so it makes sense to advance our connections. #DigitalKitchener was introduced as an initiative to "create the first community digital strategy by finding opportunities that will use information, technology and digital resources to improve the ways we live our lives".
