Power of the Internet of Things in smart city development

Role of the Internet of Things in the Development of the smart city

Fatima Rafiq
Women in Technology
3 min readJun 23, 2023

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Photo by Sawyer Bengtson on Unsplash

In recent years, the advancement of technology had give birth to the development of smart cities which uses technology to solve urban problems and improve their lifestyles. Among these changes and evolution, the Internet of Things plays a vital role in connecting devices, sensors, infrastructures, and integration to smart cities offering us uncountable advantages.

Most people might not be aware of the Internet of Things so before moving towards its use in the development of smart cities it’s important to understand what the Internet of Things is.

In simple words, the Internet of Things refers to the interconnecting of physical objects through the use of embedded sensors, software, and network connection. These objects are referred to as “things” and they can be the devices like smartphones, household appliances, or any other equipment.

Now let’s explore the possible benefits of the Internet of Things in smart city development.

Improves connectivity:

IoT plays an important role in improving the connectivity of smart cities and enables them to exchange data and seamless communication between two devices. For example in the smart transportation system, IoT collects data from vehicles, traffic lights, and parking spaces to manage the flow of traffic and for a smooth flow of traffic.

In Barcelona, Spain the government used IoT-based waste management systems which have sensors in the garbage container to manage the waste collection routes, resulting in reducing the cost and protecting the environment from harmful impacts.

Generating incredible Data:

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash

IoT provides awesome data by using sensors and connected devices. This data is then used to predict many things, including weather reports of that location.

For example in Chicago, IoT sensors installed over the streetlights check the air quality, temperature, and noise levels. The amazing thing about it is that it provides real-time information. This data helps city planners to take particular decisions to create a healthy atmosphere for living.

Engagement of citizens:

IoT encourages the engagement of citizens and their involvement in smart cities.

For Example in Singapore, Citizens have access to real-time information about transportation schedules parking availability, and the condition of the traffic Just through their mobile phones. This has made their life more easier and amazing and enabled them to reduce commuting time and contribute to smoother traffic flow.

Strengthening the infrastructure:

Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash

IoT also plays an amazing role in infrastructure. Infrastructure is the most important part of the country and by using IoT in infrastructure we can monitor and manage the urban infrastructure.

For instance in Amsterdam, Netherlands, The IoT system monitors the water levels weather conditions and infrastructure, and stables to prevent flooding to ensure the safety of the citizens.

Efficient Resource Management:

IoT helps smart cities by managing their resources the sensors installed over the streetlights, buildings, towers, and utility grids monitor and control energy consumption which helps in reducing the wastage of resources

For example, Copenhagen, Denmark, has installed an IoT system to manage street lighting. This system helps in adjusting the light level by using real-time information and saves energy consumption and wastage and also reduces the operational budget.

At last, the Internet of Things is improving and revolutionizing the development of smart cities and giving us numerous benefits. In this article, we discussed a few of them with some Real-world examples.

In my opinion, this emerging technology had numerous benefits and advantages but despite having benefits everything has its risks like the risk of security and privacy. So it is better to upgrade yourself for the emerging challenges and keep fueling your brain.

Hope so, you enjoyed reading the article Honestly I enjoyed a lot writing over this. Thank you!

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Fatima Rafiq
Women in Technology

Fatima Rafiq: Experienced writer captivating readers with compelling words. Expertise in diverse topics. Join me on Medium for captivating and engaging content