Designing hotspots in the public spaces and public greenery of modern cities – selected issues

The idea of smart cities is no longer just a vision of urban planners, authorities, and ordinary people – it is being implemented to an ever broader extent. Activities aimed at the accomplishment of the goals set for contemporary cities, oriented at making them “smart”, involve numerous areas, including public and green spaces. In order to increase the attractiveness of these areas and to encourage potential users to make use of them to an increasingly greater extent, it is recommended to make it possible for them to easily use wireless networks in public and green spaces, while at the same time working on the principles of organising the surroundings of the hotspots, increasing the comfort of their use. What is key in this respect is not only to adjust the parameters of the basic features of the WiFi signal, but also to take into consideration the spatial elements, such as the landform features and plant coverage. An analysis of the above-mentioned factors related to the use of Wi-Fi in the open air made it possible to formulate recommendations for shaping the hotspot space in these places. They apply to public spaces, including in particular green spaces in cities, as in these places, there is real demand for outdoor wireless Internet access

Outdoor hotspots as a tool for enhancing healthy lifestyles of ICT users : design and development principles

The authors of this presented study formulated research assumptions that the Internet and new technologies may interact with the landscape architecture. The presence of hot spots in public spaces can help to increase the amount of time spent outdoors, improve relationships between users and enhance their quality of life. The conducted research included a review of literature related to ICT applications, as well as a survey of global design solutions concerning the introduction of ICT components into public spaces. Moreover, the study was based on the results of previous research by the same authors on behaviour and social expectations of ICT users in relation to leisure spaces. The research results let us frame design guidelines and principles for development of outdoor hotspots. The developed guidelines apply both to technological and spatial solutions, including the following aspects: the location of hot spots, rules of design of urban furniture, vegetation, pavements and architectural details.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe

Behaviour, expectations and preferences of ‘digital natives’ in regard to the design of urban public spaces

This document contains the comments made by Gabriela Maksymiuk in “Digital methods and social practices in public space – some salient themes ”.The possibility of ICT applications in designing outdoor public spaces is essential. In order to enhance a healthy lifestyle and bring people outdoors, it is crucial to study the behaviour of ICT users and understand their expectations related to attractive public spaces. Currently in Poland, Wi-Fi technology is widespread,mainly in buildings, and outdoor hot-spots are still rather an exception. The research results let us identify 4 main groups of Wi-Fi users characterised by different activities performed in urban spaces: focused on work; focused on entertainment; transit pedestrians; or, tourists. For each user group studied, its preferences, needs and expectations in regard to successful and attractive public open spaces were identified. The research results enable further elaboration of design guidelines and principles for modern outdoor ICT - friendly public space, e.g. a cyber park.peer-reviewe

Periodic liquid crystalline waveguiding microstructures

Abstract Different methods allowing for creating optical waveguides with liquid–crystal (LC) cores, in which molecules form periodic patterns with precisely controlled periods, are reported. The first one is based on reversible photoalignment with high-resolution selective illumination and allows to control the period of LC molecules inside silica microcapillaries. The second method employs microstructures formed in PDMS, allowing to obtain both: LC-core waveguides and a set of specially designed periodic microelectrodes used for the periodic reorientation of molecules. Using both methods, we successfully controlled the period of the patterned alignment in the range from about 500 µm and scaled it down to as small as 20 µm. We performed experimental studies on waveguiding phenomenon in such structures, in view to obtain transmission spectra typical to optical fiber gratings. Since the results achieved in experimental conditions differed from those expected, the additional numerical simulations were performed to explain the observed effects. Finally, we obtained the waveguiding in a blue phase LC, characterized by naturally created three-dimensional periodicity with periods smaller than one micrometer. In such a structure, we were able to observe first-order bandgap, and moreover, we were able to tune it thermally in nearly the whole visible spectral range