Itron announces winners of inaugural smart city challenge

Itron has chosen Instrumentation Technologies (I-Tech) and Noesis.Network as winners of its inaugural smart city challenge. The companies won the awards for designing Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for London and Glasgow, after developing solutions using Itron’s developer tools and IoT networks in both UK cities. In London, I-Tech designed a two-step solution to improve safety around the River Thames by allowing the city to monitor lifebelts and pinpoint the locations of a person in need of rescue su
June 20, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Itron has chosen Instrumentation Technologies (I-Tech) and Noesis.Network as winners of its inaugural smart city challenge.

The companies won the awards for designing Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for London and Glasgow, after developing solutions using Itron’s developer tools and IoT networks in both UK cities.

In London, I-Tech designed a two-step solution to improve safety around the River Thames by allowing the city to monitor lifebelts and pinpoint the locations of a person in need of rescue support.

The first step of the solution suggests the deployment of battery-powered devices that will monitor the lifebelts. To prevent misuse, the device will sound a high-pitched alarm if a lifebelt is removed. If the lifebelt is not placed back in its housing unit for eight seconds, an emergency message will be sent via the Itron IoT network to notify emergency services. The second part includes a ‘jumper detection’ system that uses an optical scanner to identify when people fall from the bridge and to track their precise location to assist first responders. It is expected to operate in thick fog and uses data processing to help ensure its lasers are detecting people instead of birds or falling objects.

Giles Radford, highways manager, department of the built environment at the City of London Corporation, says: “With I-Tech’s solution, we will be able to shorten response times in dangerous situations to improve safety for our citizens.”

For the Glasgow challenge, Noesis’ solution deploys acoustic sensors on lampposts in areas with anticipated noise pollution caused by events such as conferences and concerts and related traffic. The distributed network of noise sensors gathers data on the noise source, location, sound profile and power level. They can also be upgraded over the air to support future use cases such as traffic management and public safety.

Kees Den Hollander, chief commercial officer, Noesis Network, says: “For this challenge, we designed a solution that will utilise wireless networks to create real-time, highly granular sound maps with our acoustic sensors.”

I-Tech and Noesis will continue to develop their solutions in the cities while receiving continuing support from Itron to help bring their innovations to market.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Sound synthesis makes hybrid and electric vehicles safer
    January 20, 2012
    The growing popularity of hybrids and electric vehicles gives rise to new safety issues in urban environments, as many of the aural cues associated with engine noise can be missing. The solution is to intelligently make vehicles noisier. The rise in popularity of hybrids and Electric Vehicles (EVs) is a result of environmental pressures, shifts in taxation and emerging technologies for batteries and motors. Competition among the car manufacturers means these vehicles need to be cost effective to buy and ope
    Read More
  • IBTTA: ‘The only way to keep up is to stay ahead’
    March 4, 2019
    The focus of the IBTTA’s Annual Technology Summit is changing. The tolling organisation’s Bill Cramer explains why this is good news for ITS professionals looking to embrace new technologies For a decade or more, the technology summits hosted by the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) have helped drive the tolling industry’s embrace of the systems, services and breakthrough concepts that are building a 21st century transportation sector. Now, the summit itself is adjusting its
    Read More
  • GridMatrix goes back to the future in New York City
    September 25, 2023
    Legacy traffic management infrastructure doesn’t have to be a marker of the past: software upgrades can bring it into the present in a cost-effective and timely way, says Gordon Feller
    Read More
  • UK's Hindhead tunnel pushes the boundaries of traffic management
    January 23, 2012
    The new Hindhead Tunnel is the first in the UK to use radar-based incident detection. Paul Arnold, project manager with the Highways Agency, talks about the project. The comparatively remote location of the A3 Hindhead Tunnel has resulted in it becoming one of the most sophisticated in the UK in terms of monitoring and control systems, according to Paul Arnold, project manager for the Highways Agency (HA), which manages strategic roads in England and Wales. It is the first tunnel in the UK to use radar for
    Read More

Highlighted Content