Hull takes the title of the UK’s first city to benefit from its own dedicated Smart City Operating System (OS). The Operating System works using an Internet of Things (IoT) foundation, which means Hull can become a programmable city. The new digital strategy has been devised in partnership with Connexin, in an ambitious bid to become the World’s leading Smart City.
At the local level, the operating system means essential council services, sensors and systems can be connected and centralised using a single dashboard. The information will then be analysed, with the end goal of providing a better quality of life for Hull’s residents.
Plans include the addition of new, smart sustainable technology solutions, devised from current and future data regarding parking, traffic, CCTV, waste management and Wi-Fi deployments.
Should Hull be successful, the new operating system could pave the way for other cities across the UK, and the world, to be ‘smarter’ and greener.
Smarter waste management
For example, the digital strategy incorporates ‘smart bins’, that is, bins with installed sensors that gather data in real time, in order to monitor waste levels. This means sensors can inform Council street cleansing teams which bins need emptying and when, allowing for the optimal time for waste collection be calculated and saving unnecessary collection vehicle journeys. This will result in reduced congestion on the roads, lowered CO2 emissions and provide a cleaner environment for locals and tourists.
“Our platform will enable Hull to become a ‘programmable city’ and move from outdated siloed service driven technologies to a central platform to improve service delivery, reduce costs and to make the most of new technologies such as IoT, AI and machine learning algorithms,” - Furqan Alamgir, founder and CEO of Connexin.
IoT for business
The city provides a prime example of the advantages of the latest, state-of-the-art technology, that can be utilised by businesses, regardless of size. For example, IoT can provide you with information on how a remote asset in your business is performing, minimising the need for routine maintenance visits and providing you with the ability to catch problems before they affect your customers. The real-time data, remote monitoring and analytics provided, also means that you can quickly recover lost or stolen assets.
Should you wish to take advantage of this agile technology, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our team of account managers are more than happy to provide advice and offer a free, no-obligation quote.