Countries all around the globe have been hit hard with COVID-19 viciously spreading throughout their cities. Especially at times like these, smart cities are able to keep their communities safer and communicate more effectively than cities that aren’t as interconnected. Data tracking, advanced communication, and urban planning are a few ways smart cities keep their population connected and safe. Keep reading to learn about what a smart city is and how the future technology can help the public prepare more efficiently for pandemics in years to come.
Tracking the virus:
Hangzhou, a city in China and the home of Alibaba, was quick in its response regarding the virus. They created health QR codes to inform the public on the state of the highly infectious virus and how long to quarantine for. They, along with other cities in the country, required a daily tracking on people’s temperature while making them update their profile regularly to look out for any other symptoms. This technologically-advanced approach is one way the city responded in a timely manner by tracking the virus.
Another example of disease tracking is a start-up based in Canada called BlueDot that focuses on outbreak risk software with artificial intelligence. Their mission statement is “while diseases spread fast, knowledge can spread even faster.” They were among the first to take note and track the unusual spike in Pneumonia in Wuhan, China, where the virus is known to originate. Now, with the virus all around the world, they take pride in informing their clients of minute-by-minute information regarding the spread.
Autonomous delivery:
Since people are enforced to stay inside their homes, simple tasks like getting groceries have become dangerous. Because of this, autonomous delivery allows necessities to be delivered to those who need it most while reducing human-to-human interaction (therefore slowing the spread of the virus). Autonomous delivery became prevalent in China during the virus outbreak, and food and medical supplies were placed in vehicles like the Modai and Neolix models to be sent to people in need.
When it comes to autonomous delivery, the vehicles can mitigate the spread of the highly infectious virus. The Neolix model specifically has also been taking part in disinfecting the streets in Wuhan and delivers food to people who are tirelessly working during the epidemic. There is still work to be done in advancing the vehicles, which has been rushed during this time. For example, when people get their items from the car, there can be traces of them left that stays until the next stop. Regardless, autonomous vehicles are an advancement that has been helpful to China.
Targeting location:
Tracking your location is something that your phone already does, and can be beneficial in times of an outbreak. In smart cities specifically, geotargeting is a common tool used to collect data on the population. Countries like Israel are using the geo targeting tool by alerting people’s phones when they have gone in proximity with someone who has the Coronavirus. It gives people insight on places to avoid if they are out in public, whether it’s to get groceries or if they qualify to be an essential worker.
Following their lead, Microsoft’s Bing has even targeted the location of people with the Coronavirus in order to further give people insight on the situation at hand. Being able to collect geographic data on people is crucial in order to lower the risk of getting infected.
Drone surveillance:
Madrid is a city that has suffered the most with the Coronavirus outbreak in Spain. Because of this, law officials have enforced strict surveillance on its citizens and imposed them to stay inside. Drone surveillance are unmanned vehicles that capture videos and images, and in this specific time help keep track of who is abiding by the law and who isn’t. This not only allows for surveillance without human contact, since the officers in charge do not have to physically be in the area.
The technological invention also can increase the amount of inspection and monitoring with various regions being able to be monitored by a single officer. Madrid took inspiration from China’s strict rules in order to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, and even is giving a tremendous fine to people who are not obeying the order. Face recognition on the drone surveillance helps with this task.
Thermal cameras:
Although their accuracy is still up for debate, thermal cameras are beneficial tools in detecting high body temperatures. They can be especially helpful nowadays to use since a fever is a common symptom associated with COVID-19. Airports have been incorporating thermal cameras in order to ensure the people traveling, either domestically or internationally, do not have the virus.
However, airports aren’t the only places with the thermal camera. In Atlanta, some grocery stores require screening and people are denied entry if their temperature is above normal. Thermal imaging products have been selling quickly and it is said that more and more places will incorporate them into their businesses to prevent contagious people from entering.
Internet connectivity:
Continuous, efficient communication with the public is extremely important in crises. Places like New York City, one of the most technologically-advanced cities in the world, are offering people free WiFi during the virus outbreak. They have been hit hard with the Coronavirus and want to make sure people understand the severity of the situation while delivering the necessary information and recent news on the virus. This is an extreme benefit of being a smart city, since less developed places sometimes do not have that privilege.
With the rise of businesses and schools going online to limit face-to-face interaction, the more people are using the internet. This can lead to a slower, less responsive network in cities that aren’t as technologically advanced. In times when there is a global, vastly-changing and unpredictable disease, the faster you know about the data and news on the issue, the better prepared you can be.
COVID-19 is impacting cities in extreme measures. The number of people infected with the virus is tremendously increasing in some places more than others, and the scientific information on the Coronavirus is still scarce. Through staying informed and connected, people are more likely to do their part in stopping the spread of the virus. Smart cities have taken the extra mile by giving people free wifi, an influx of data and information, and technology products to ensure their safety. The benefits of smart cities are prevalent when it comes to responding to pandemic, but also at other times as well. Outside of a pandemic, the cities can help with conserving energy, enhance the removal of waste, and even improve water management as well.
Regardless of the situation, it is always helpful when living in an innovative area that strives to improve living standards through research and technology development. To take a deeper look into smart cities, make sure to check out the infographic below.
Please include attribution to TheZebra.com with this graphic.
