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

  • Smart parking technologies: solving drivers parking pain
    March 30, 2017
    Smarter parking can benefit city authorities and other road users as well as drivers looking for a space, argues Dr Graham Cookson. As witnessed by the recent announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show, the automotive industry continues to focus on the driving experience; moving from speed and handling towards safety and efficiency.
  • Keys to the Kingdom
    May 1, 2025
    Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in smart infrastructure projects. Zeina Nazer takes a look at them – from Riyadh Metro to the controversial ‘vertical urbanism’ of The Line
  • New name offers new solutions
    November 26, 2013
    Pete Goldin examines Nokia’s rationale for combining its location services, digital mapping and other capabilities under the HERE brand. While it has divested itself of its mobile phone business to Microsoft, Nokia has kept hold of its HERE business unit and brand which incorporates the company’s location services with digital mapping and other capabilities. The creation of HERE is much more than rebranding as its services are heading off the map and into the cloud. “HERE offers the first location cloud
  • Mega trends will challenge transport technology
    June 5, 2015
    Jon Masters investigates some of the longer term trends that will shape transportation over the next 20 years. Business analysts and investors have already placed their bets on a future of technological smart mobility services. In December last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Uber, the on-demand taxi and lift share smartphone app and start-up business, had been valued at $41.2 billion which, as the Journal reported, is an incredible vote of confidence for a company only five years old.