Skip to main content

Smart cities pilot projects use people as ‘sensors’

The Spanish cities of Malaga, Zaragoza and Santander are the first cities to join CIUDAD 2020, the R&D&I (research, development and innovation) smart cities reference project, led by Indra in partnership with Ferrovial Agroman, Atos, Fagor Electrónica, GFI Informática, Fractalia, Daedalus, Tekia and iSOCO. One of the most novel aspects of the project, which has is aimed at developing a new, efficient and sustainable smart city model in which citizens play a central and active role. People generate a lar
October 3, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The Spanish cities of Malaga, Zaragoza and Santander are the first cities to join CIUDAD 2020, the R&D&I (research, development and innovation) smart cities reference project, led by 509 Indra in partnership with 4419 Ferrovial Agroman, Atos, Fagor Electrónica, GFI Informática, Fractalia, Daedalus, Tekia and iSOCO.

One of the most novel aspects of the project, which has is aimed at developing a new, efficient and sustainable smart city model in which citizens play a central and active role.  People generate a large amount of data through their use of urban infrastructures, such as public transportation and car parks, mobile applications which allow citizens to register incidents in a global platform and social networks that can be used to share user locations and multimedia content such as messages or photos.

Tests are being carried out in Malaga and Zaragoza to locate the areas of each city with the most social activity and points of interest in which to improve management processes using the information provided by social networks. Other tests are being carried out on the creation of new services based on how residents use Twitter. By using the geo-positioning of messages and data mining algorithms, it is possible to identify the most active areas and by analysing them, together with the most common hashtags, routes, etc., the city's behaviour can be modelled.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Mobility digital twins for Italy from Yunex & Municipia
    March 1, 2024
    Focus is on reducing CO₂ emissions and enhancing the efficiency of urban traffic flow
  • ITS America appoints new technical editor
    April 24, 2013
    ITS America has chosen Dr John Miles as technical editor for a new web-based resource on ITS. With funding from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), the society plans to publish in mid-2014 in partnership with the World Road Association (PIARC) on the latter’s website.
  • Speeding ambulances through borders
    October 26, 2016
    David Crawford sees hope for stricken patients on the wrong side of the border. In treating patients with heart or stroke conditions, speed is of the essence.
  • HeERO - harmonising e-Call across Europe
    March 1, 2013
    The second stage of the EC’s HeERO project, which aims to address some of the issues surrounding the eCall system, has just got underway. Jason Barnes reports. As the European Commission (EC)’s Har­monised eCall European Pilot (HeERO) project progresses into its second stage, ‘HeERO 2’, significant progress has already been made in addressing the technological and institutional issues relating to the pan-European deployment of an eCall system based around the new ‘112’ universal emergency telephone number.