3/28/2019 Are Smart Cities Smart – IEEE Future Directions

Are Smart Cities Smart?

by H. Kieu, L. Borrello, KC Samiran, J. Martin, K. Watts, S. Jones

March 2019

Introduction

It is estimated that by 2030, 70% of the global population will live in cities. Cities today need to

accommodate more people, as well as create a sustainable environment with efficient resources.
Therefore, the concept of smart cities, which entails utilizing technological innovations, has become an

important priority on many cities’ agendas [1]. We will attempt to answer the question: “Are smart cities
smart?” by looking at the five pillars associated with smart cities – Smart Grid, E-Governance,

Infrastructure and Transportation, Crime Prevention, and Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) applications.

Smart Grid

Of the five pillars that we examined in this research, a city’s power system is the most important and

most complex element [2], which insures the optimal function of other four pillars. With the

development and integration of smart technologies, the need for an upgrade to the traditional power
grid system has become necessary [3]. This is where optimizing and upgrading the current power grid

system through Dynamic Data Driven Application Systems (DDDAS) and micro grids comes into play.

With Information and Communication exchange Technologies (ICxT), DDDAS, micro grids can be
incorporated throughout the primary grid system giving consumers the ability to detach themselves

from the gird and tap into a localized power source such as batteries, generators or renewable energy

sources [4], [5], [6]. This also allows them to securely manage the distribution of power, which limits
interruptions to consumers’ energy [6], [7].

The smart grid system is in fact smart; it directly impacts the lives of citizens living within a smart city by

giving them the choices to integrate smart technologies into their households and buildings. On the
other hand, to utilize ICxT and DDDAS, citizens must upgrade to new appliances. If a citizen is not willing

to do so or has no immediate need to upgrade, then the benefits for home business-based smart

technology are not utilized.

Safety and Security

Technology is not just a useful tool to maintain the public’s safety [8]. When wielded smartly, it is

considered one of the most effective forms of security and safety innovations in reducing crimes, such

as homicides [9].

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“Every crime is related to some location” [10] and through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), crime-
mapping has become a reality, streamlining quicker communication in a more sustainable manner to

combat crime by allowing authorities to utilize data in a smart way [11]. GIS technology is a foundational

platform that analyzes geographical information which humans cannot or tend to overlook [10].

The implementation of GIS crime-mapping in cities has improved the allocation of law enforcement
personnel and resources [11], reducing crimes by 30-40% [8]. In addition, GIS crime-mapping generates

faster communication between emergency response teams, reducing response times by 20-35%. Thanks

to shorter emergency vehicle response times, approximately an additional 8-10% of lives are [9].

Another solution to fighting crimes is surveillance. Even though it may infringe upon a citizen’s privacy
[12], surveillance technology when deployed has reduced committed crimes by 5-6% [8]. Crime mapping

and surveillance technologies have been successful in managing crime rates and engaging their citizens
in the process of ensuring public safety. It is worth noting while smart technology has the potential to

save lives and better public safety, it will not eradicate crime completely [9].

E-Governance
In 1997, The Information Resource of Maine (InfoME) was created to provide an electronic platform –

Maine.gov to provide online government services for citizens and businesses. Today, 156 online-services
range from license application and renewal, to vehicle registration renewal. In 2017, a Maine Center for
Business and Economic Research study found that from 2011 to 2015, Maine government saved

between $36.3 million and $44.2 million on operating costs by delivering services digitally and using a
self-funded model [14].

Beside the financial benefits, the digital initiative increased the efficiency and convenience for users. It
has increased civic participation and the awareness of social programs. Most importantly, it has
increased compliance of regulations due to broader access to online information and services with less

complexity [14].

Infrastructure and Transportation

With the increasing population, urban infrastructure across all transportation modes are expected to be

strained. While 30% of urban congestions are caused by cars looking for parking, more than 10 percent
of traffic delays on major routes in urban areas are caused by outdated traffic signal timing. Trucking

companies wasted $28 million on operating and fuel costs due to the stop-and-go traffic [15].

Improving the transportation system allows for repairing aging infrastructure or building new roads and
it also implies implementing Intelligent Transport System (ITS) technologies [16]. ITS is the system that

applies ICT to transport infrastructures and vehicles. It seeks to resolve issues concerned with
transportation such as congestion, accidents, and pollution by integrating a broad range of systems,

including sensing, communication, information dissemination, and traffic control [17].

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Some of the examples of cities implementing ITS include: Pittsburgh PA plans to save 60% of energy by

converting 36,365 street lights to LED technology; Columbus OH aims to reduce infant mortality in
Franklin County by 40% with Columbus Connected Transportation Network (CCTN) that will improve

access to prenatal care for individuals in underserved neighborhoods [15].

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Woo states, “The potentially overlooked but important requirement for smart, future cities running well

is reliable, ubiquitous connectivity” [18]. ICT is the fifth pillar and arguably most important pillar of a
smart city but unfortunately, just like how ‘smart city’ has become a buzzword, so have the technologies

that are expected to propel our cities into the future, (e.g., 5G and Fiber).

Fiber may be the best communication technology for a smart city, but most communities already have
existing technology, such as copper cables that can be upgraded less expensively, than building a new

fiber infrastructure [19]. In addition, fiber will work best used concurrently with 4G and 5G technologies,
but 5G isn’t slated for beyond testing cities until 2020 [19]. Internet connections are often taken for
granted, but connectivity, of any type is still not possible in some areas. Where it is possible, cities need

to ask themselves what added value is there and what new risks are they exposing their communities to
when they create this connection.

Conclusion
The International Data Corporation [20] forecasted that investments in technologies enabling smart
cities initiatives will reach $80 billion in 2018, and $135 billion in 2021 (Investments in Technologies,

2018). [21] showed that a $1 increase in state spending on smart technologies will result in a reduction
of as much as $3.49 in state overall expenditures. Even though the benefits of smart technologies are

clear, it is important to examine the value as well as the risks before implementing new technologies in

cities.

References:

1.  Razaghi, M., & Finger, M. (2018). Smart Governance for Smart Cities. Proceedings of the IEEE, 106(4),
pp. 680-689. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2018.2807784

2.  Atasoy, T., Akinc, H. E., &Ercin, O. (2015). An analysis on smart grid applications and

grid integration of renewable energy systems in smart cities. 2015 International

Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications
(ICRERA). doi:10.1109/icrera.2015.7418473

3.  Strasser, T., Siano, P., & Ding, Y. (2018). Methods and Systems for a Smart Energy City. IEEE
Transactions on Industrial Electronics,66(2), 1363-1367. doi:10.1109/TIE.2018.2869488

4. Darema, F. (2005). Grid Computing and Beyond: The Context of Dynamic Data Driven

Applications Systems. Proceedings of the IEEE,93(3), 692-697. doi:10.1109/jproc.2004.842783

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5. Fujimoto, R. M., Celik, N., Damgacioglu, H., Hunter, M., Jin, D., Son, Y., & Xu, J. (2016). Dynamic data

driven application systems for smart cities and urban infrastructures. 2016 Winter Simulation
Conference (WSC). doi:10.1109/wsc.2016.7822172

6. U.S. Department of Energy. (2014). INFOGRAPHIC: Understanding the Grid. Retrieved

October 12, 2018, from https://www.energy.gov/articles/infographic-understanding-grid

7. Khan, S., Paul, D., Momtahan, P., &Aloqaily, M. (2018). Artificial intelligence

framework for smart city microgrids: State of the art, challenges, and opportunities. 2018 Third

International Conference on Fog and Mobile Edge Computing (FMEC). doi:10.1109/fmec.2018.8364080

8. Musa, S. (2018). Smart Cities-A Road Map for Development. IEEE Potentials, 37(2), 19-23.

https://doi.org/10.1109/MPOT.2016.2566099

9. McKinsey Global Institute. (2018, June). Smart Cities: Digital Solutions for a More Livable Future.

Retrieved from:

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/capital%20projects%20and%20infrastructur

e/our%20insights/smart%20cities%20digital%20solutions%20for%20a%20more%20livable%20future/
mgi-smart-cities-full-report.ashx

10. ESRI. (2008). Crime Analysis: GIS Solutions for Intelligence-Led Policing [Brochure]. Retrieved from

https://www.esri.com/library/brochures/pdfs/crime-analysis.pdf

11. Smith, B. (2017, November 19). How cities can use GIS to improve safety with personalized service.

Retrieved November 19, 2018, from Smart Cities Council North America website:

https://na.smartcitiescouncil.com/article/how-cities-can-use-gis-improve-safety-personalized-service

12. Muggah, R. (2018, June 15). How smart tech helps cities fight terrorism and crime. Retrieved

November 14, 2018, from World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/cities-

crime-data-agile-security-robert-muggah/

13. ESRI. (2012, March). GIS for Law Enforcement. Retrieved from

https://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/gis-for-law-enforcement.pd

14. Maine Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Southern Maine. (2017, October). A

Cost Avoidance Study of eGovernment in Maine. Government Technology. Retrieved from

http://www.govtech.com/library/papers/A-Cost-Avoidance-Study-of-eGovernment-in-Maine-

101070.html

15. U.S. Department of Transportation. (2016). Smart City Challenge [Pamphlet]. Retrieved from:

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Smart%20City%20Challenge%20Lessons%20L

earned.pdf

16. Choudhary, M. (2018, June 29). What is Intelligent Transport System and how it works. Retrieved from

https://www.geospatialworld.net/blogs/what-is-intelligent-transport-system-and-how-it-works/

17. Sumalee, A., & Ho, H. W. (2018). Smarter and more connected: Future intelligent transportation

system. IATSS Research, 42(2), 67-71. Retrieved from

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111218300396

18. Woo, S. (2015, December). Smart Cities Need Reliable IoT Connections. Network
Computing. Retrieved from https://www.networkcomputing.com/internet-things/smart-cities-need-
reliable-iot-connections/514886506.

19. Young, P. (2017). Broadband Infrastructure to Enable Smart Cities: Emerging Strategies and
Partnership Models. (Masters). Georgetown University. Washington, DC. USA.

20. IDC. (2018, February 20). Investments in Technologies Enabling Smart Cities Initiatives Are Forecast to

Reach $80 Billion in 2018, According to a New IDC Spending Guide. Retrieved November 20, 2018,
from IDC website: https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS43576718

21. Pattani, A. (2016, October 25). Building the city of the future — at a $41 trillion price tag. Retrieved

November 19, 2018, from CNBC website: https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/25/spending-on-smart-cities-

around-the-world-could-reach-41-trillion.html

Ha Kieu is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Center for Communication and

Information Science at Ball State University. Kieu is working toward her Master’s degree in

Communication and Information Science at Ball State. She is also a Graduate Assistant for

International Admission at Ball State University. Kieu earned her Bachelor’s degree in

Business and Accounting at Keystone College, PA in 2016. Previously, she worked for Mediterranean
Shipping Company from 2016 to 2018 in their Finance Department.

Lauren Borrello is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Center for Information and

Communication Sciences program at Ball State University. Prior to joining Ball State

University, Lauren was an Admissions Representative at Alma College in Alma, MI from

2016 to 2018. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Foreign Service from
Alma College in 2016. She is currently working towards her Masters degree in Information and

Communication Sciences at Ball State University and will graduate in July 2019.

Samiran KC is the Graduate Research Assistant for the Division of Online and Strategic

Learning at Ball State University. KC supports training of all Ball State faculty in transition to

a new Learning Management System (LMS) including researching, testing, and

documenting new features of the LMS.

Before joining Ball State, Samiran worked as a Software Engineer and Business Analyst in the software

industry. KC earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Information Management from Thames International
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College in Kathmandu, Nepal and is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in Information and

Communication Sciences from the CICS program at Ball State University.

Jessica Martin is the Project Manager for the Voting System Technical Oversight Program
(VSTOP),  at the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University. VSTOP advises the

Indiana Secretary of State and the Indiana Election Commission on the certification of

voting machines and electronic poll books in Indiana. Prior to joining Ball State, Martin
worked for Travis County Information Technology Services and the Elections Division in Austin, TX.  She

earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of St. Catherine and is currently working towards a
Masters Degree in Information and Communication Sciences from the CICS Program at Ball State

University.

Kristyn Watts joined the University of Notre Dame RecSports team in January 2019 as the
Rockne Memorial Building and Special Events Manager. In addition to managing the overall
operations of Rockne Memorial, Watts is an active member of the RecSports technology

team whose goal is to advocate for the use of ICT within the department. Watts previously
worked at Butler University where she was the Assistant Director of Aquatics and Operations. In that
role, she was responsible for the overall facility as well as website content management, membership

database management, membership software, and worked as the departmental technology liaison
among other roles. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Butler University and a Master
of Arts in Sport Administration from Ball State University. Watts currently serves as president of the

Indiana Recreational Sports Association (IRSA), the state affiliate for NIRSA, the Leaders in Collegiate
Recreation.

Dr. Steve Jones joined the Center for Information and Communication Sciences faculty in
August of 1998. He came to Ball State University (BSU) from completing his doctoral

studies at Bowling Green State University where he served the Dean of Continuing
Education developing a distance-learning program for the College of Technology’s
undergraduate Technology Education program. Dr. Jones was instrumental in bringing the new program

on board because of his technical background and extensive research in the distance-learning field.
Prior to coming to higher education, Dr. Jones spent over sixteen and a half years in the communication
technology industry. He owned his own teleconnect, providing high-end commercial voice and data

networks to a broad range of end users. Dr. Jones provided all the engineering and technical support for
his organization that grew to over twenty employees and two and a half million dollars per year
revenue. Selling his portion of the organization in December of 1994, Dr. Jones worked briefly for

Panasonic Communications and Systems Company as a district sales manager providing application
engineering and product support to distributors in a five-state area prior to starting doctoral studies.
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Editor: 

Ali Kashif Bashir (S’16–M’15) is Associate Professor at Department of Science and

Technology, University of the Faroe Islands, Faroe Islands, Denmark. In the past, he held

appointments with Osaka University, Japan, the National Institute of Technology, Nara,
Japan, the National Fusion Research Institute, South Korea, and Southern Power Co. Ltd, South Korea.
He received his PhD in computer science and engineering from Korea University, South Korea, MS from

Ajou University, South Korea and BS from University of Management and Technology, Pakistan. His
research interests include: 5G, NFV/SDN, network virtualization, IoT, computer networks, internet
security, etc. He is serving as the Editor-in-chief of the IEEE Future Directions Newsletter.

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