Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Challenges in Smart Cities

Smart city combines technologies with information to facilitate and improve daily life of citizens on different areas like transport, healthcare, education, environment impact, energy save and other. Big Data as technology to collect, store and analyze massive amounts of data, and Artificial Intelligence to extract the values from those data, have received a lot of attention recently. The aim of this paper is to discuss and highlight the challenges that engineers, scientists and other stakeholders can face practically in the development of smart city, and to enhance the integration of both Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

An AI-based Ventilation KPI using embedded IoT devices

The air ventilation of enclosed premises has a direct impact on the occupants well-being. If not properly regulated, the air ventilation can originate a multitude of diseases and pathologies. The present study proposes a new KPI (ventilation KPI) adapted to Smart Cities. It is especially designed for academic environments (Smart Universities) in which community members spend a long time gathered in classrooms, seminars, laboratories, etc. The ventilation KPI (or KPIv) was designed to support decision-making and is based on the estimation of the number of occupants of an enclosed space and the accumulation of existing CO2. Two AI techniques are proposed to perform these estimations, specifically, two regressive neural networks. The resulting models, together with the KPI were implemented through the development of value-added services for the University of Alicantes Smart University platform. The network models were designed to be embedded within the built IoT device prototypes. These prototypes are small and inexpensive. They act as intelligent sensors and are connected via a low consumption and emission network (LoRa). The case study showed that it is possible to take advantage of the pre-existing services and resources of these platforms, and to validate the KPIv

Rethinking engagement in urban design: reimagining the value of co-design and participation at every stage of planning for autonomous vehicles.

The practical demonstrations and research which led to the preparation of this paper involved a combination of stakeholder engagement, policy debate and the practical demonstration and testing of autonomous vehicles. By adhering to a design approach which in centred on participation and human-centred engagement, the advent of autonomous vehicles might avoid many of the problems encountered in relation to conventional transport. The research explored how a new and potentially disruptive technology might be incorporated in urban settings, through the lens of participation and problem-based design. The research critically reviews key strands in the literature (autonomous vehicles, social research and participatory design), with allusion to current case study experiments. Although there are numerous examples of autonomous vehicles (AV) research concentrating on technical aspects alone, this paper finds that such an approach appears to be an unusual starting point for the design of innovative technology. That is, AVs would appear to hold the potential to be genuinely disruptive in terms of innovation, yet the way that disruption takes place should surely be guided by design principles and by issues and problems encountered by potential users. Practical implications: The research carries significant implications for practice in that it advocates locating those socio-contextual issues at the heart of the problem definition and design process and ahead of technical solutions. What sets this research apart from other studies concerning AVs was that the starting point for investigation was the framing of AVs within contexts and scenarios leading to the emergence of wicked problems. This begins with a research position where the potential uses for AVs are considered in a social context, within which the problems and issues to be solved become the starting point for design at a fundamental level

Community Safety and Well-being in Touristic Spots Using Open Data

Assis, D., De Castro Neto, M., & Motta, M. (2021). Community Safety and Well-being in Touristic Spots Using Open Data. International Journal of Modeling and Optimization, 11(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJMO.2021.V11.770There are many different reasons that can lead a tourist to decide which destination will be chosen on his/her next trip. Besides knowing what are the attractions that must be visited, it is also common to look for more information regarding the overall safety and well-being conditions of travel destinations. Usually shared by local authorities, this kind of information can also be found in a less structured form through public sources, such as web sites and social platforms. However, there are a couple of challenges to be considered: the predominance of unstructured data; the lack of a common standard to distinguish safe and unsafe places; the distinct period needed to update the collected data. In this study, the proposed model combines official census data with open data, social platforms and other online sources, allowing the definition of a score for touristic spots in Lisbon. The resulting score should be able to quantify the community safety and well-being, as well as to identify threats and opportunities for the local tourism industry. Furthermore, it would not only help tourists in their traveling decisions but also, allow decision-makers to track socioeconomic issues and to support public management through a data-driven approach.publishersversionpublishe

A Holistic and Interoperable Approach towards the Implementation of Services for the Digital Transformation of Smart Cities: The Case of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain)

Cities in the 21st century play a major role in the sustainability and climate impact reduction challenges set by the European agenda. As the population of cities grows and their environmental impact becomes more evident, the European strategy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—the main cause of climate change. Measures to reduce the impact of climate change include reducing energy consumption, improving mobility, harnessing resources and renewable energies, integrating nature-based solutions and efficiently managing infrastructure. The monitoring and control of all this activity is essential for its proper functioning. In this context, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a key role in the digitisation, monitoring, and managing of these different verticals. Urban data platforms support cities on extracting Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in their efforts to make better decisions. Cities must be transformed by applying efficient urban planning measures and taking into account not only technological aspects, but also by applying a holistic vision in building solutions where citizens are at the centre. In addition, standardisation of platforms where applications are integrated as one is necessary. This requires interoperability between different verticals. This article presents the information platform developed for the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain. The platform is based on the UNE 178104 standard to provide a holistic architecture that integrates information from the different urban planning measures implemented in the city. The platform was constructed in the context of the SmartEnCity project following the urban transformation strategy established by the city. The article presents the value-added solutions implemented in the platform. These solutions have been developed by applying co-creation techniques in which stakeholders have been involved throughout the process. The platform proposes a step forward towards standardization, harmonises the integration of data from multiple vertical, provides interoperability between services, and simplifies scalability and replicability due to its microservice architecture.This work has been supported by the Department of Education, Universities, and Research of the Basque Government under the projects Ikerketa Taldeak (Software and Systems Engineering research group of Mondragon Unibertsitatea) and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the project SmartEnCity with the grant agreement no. 691883

A Holistic and Interoperable Approach towards the Implementation of Services for the Digital Transformation of Smart Cities: The Case of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Cities in the 21st century play a major role in the sustainability and climate impact reduction challenges set by the European agenda. As the population of cities grows and their environmental impact becomes more evident, the European strategy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—the main cause of climate change. Measures to reduce the impact of climate change include reducing energy consumption, improving mobility, harnessing resources and renewable energies, integrating nature-based solutions and efficiently managing infrastructure. The monitoring and control of all this activity is essential for its proper functioning. In this context, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a key role in the digitisation, monitoring, and managing of these different verticals. Urban data platforms support cities on extracting Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in their efforts to make better decisions. Cities must be transformed by applying efficient urban planning measures and taking into account not only technological aspects, but also by applying a holistic vision in building solutions where citizens are at the centre. In addition, standardisation of platforms where applications are integrated as one is necessary. This requires interoperability between different verticals. This article presents the information platform developed for the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain. The platform is based on the UNE 178104 standard to provide a holistic architecture that integrates information from the different urban planning measures implemented in the city. The platform was constructed in the context of the SmartEnCity project following the urban transformation strategy established by the city. The article presents the value-added solutions implemented in the platform. These solutions have been developed by applying co-creation techniques in which stakeholders have been involved throughout the process. The platform proposes a step forward towards standardization, harmonises the integration of data from multiple vertical, provides interoperability between services, and simplifies scalability and replicability due to its microservice architecture

Índices de segurança comunitária e pontos turísticos: uma proposta de modelo para correlacionar locais seguros e pontos turísticos a partir de dados abertos

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Knowledge Management and Business IntelligenceSão muitas as decisões que auxiliam na escolha de um destino turístico. Geralmente, além de saber quais são os pontos que devem ser visitados, é comum também buscar alguma informação sobre as condições de segurança e acesso do lugar, bairro, cidade ou, em um caso mais específico, do próprio país de destino. Geralmente, esse tipo de informação é encontrado de forma estruturada em fontes oficiais de dados abertos (embora aceitar ou recusar a disponibilização desses dados seja uma decisão dos governos) e de forma menos estruturada por meio da consulta pública de sítios na web. No entanto, a informação existe - mais em uma forma textual - há uma falta de um padrão comum para definir locais seguros e inseguros. Neste documento, o modelo proposto combina dados abertos e outros conteúdos de sites que, após passarem por um processo de classificação, permitirão a definição de uma pontuação. Ao fim, os dados consolidados serão oferecidos também como uma fonte de dados abertos, dando a chance de não apenas ajudar os turistas em suas decisões de viagem, mas também, por outro lado, dar informações suficientes ao governo para lidar melhor com as questões segurança e acessibilidade.There are many decisions in place that can help to choose a tourism destiny. Besides knowing what are the attractions that must be visited, it is also common to look for some information regarding the safety conditions of the supposed place, neighborhood, city or in a more specific case, the destined country itself. This kind of information is usually found in a structured way at official Open Data sources and in a less structured form through the public collection of web sites. Even though the information exists – most in a textual form - there is a lack of a common standard to define safe from unsafe places. In this document, the proposed model combines open data, social networks and other web sites contents that after passing through a classification process will allow the definition of a score. In the end, the consoled will also be offered as an open data resource, allowing tourists to be assisted in their traveling decisions and also the government to evaluate and improve the tourist experience

State of the Art and Future Perspectives in Smart and Sustainable Urban Development

This book contributes to the conceptual and practical knowledge pools in order to improve the research and practice on smart and sustainable urban development by presenting an informed understanding of the subject to scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. This book presents contributions—in the form of research articles, literature reviews, case reports, and short communications—offering insights into the smart and sustainable urban development by conducting in-depth conceptual debates, detailed case study descriptions, thorough empirical investigations, systematic literature reviews, or forecasting analyses. This way, the book forms a repository of relevant information, material, and knowledge to support research, policymaking, practice, and the transferability of experiences to address urbanization and other planetary challenges

Cidades inteligentes e direito, governação digital e direitos: desafios futuros globais

[Excerto] Apresentação Breve: Cidades Inteligentes e Direito, E.Governação e Direitos é um projeto de investigação desenvolvido na Escola de Direito da Universidade do Minho, por uma equipa de investigadores permanentes multidisciplinar do Centro de Investigação em Justiça e Governação(JusGov) e do Centro Algoritmi, em que se incluem também investigadores bolseiros e investigadores contratados [1] [2]. O Projeto foi desenvolvido com o cofinanciamento do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), através do Sistema de Apoio à Investigação Científica e Tecnológica — no quadro do Programa Operacional Regional Norte 2020 [3]. Teve início em janeiro de 2021 e foi prorrogado até 30 de junho de 2023, envolvendo várias atividades de investigação, de entre as quais uma traduz a pesquisa empírica, cujo resultado é aqui apresentado [4]. Estamos certos de que o estudo teórico e concetual sobre as Cidades Inteligentes não dispensa o trabalho de campo e o estudo prático, na verdade. Por um lado, o estudo teórico pressupõe a identificação dos indicadores de Sustentabilidade, Governação Digital, Inclusão e Resiliência, e procura apurar o conceito que melhor identifica hoje a Cidade Inteligente, visando apurar metodologias de implementação de Cidades-Verdes e de Cidades Digitais. Por outro, o mapeamento do estado da arte das medidas implementadas de transição digital e de sustentabilidade também é necessário tendo em vista a elaboração de recomendações de boas práticas para a construção da Cidade Inteligente. [...]“Smart Cities and Law, E.Governance and Rights: Contributing to the definition and implementation of a Global Strategy for Smart Cities”. Projeto NORTE 01 0145 FEDER 000063, JusGov UM