PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia is launching “The Smart City Challenge,” an open call for ideas from citizens and experts on how the City can utilize technology to improve city services and operations.
The City is specifically interested in ideas to leverage city assets — such as street light poles and leased tower sites — to move toward the concept known as the Internet of Things (IoT), the networked connection of physical objects. Officials hope to hear from technologists, telecommunications specialists, social entrepreneurs, engineers, architects, designers, and general city enthusiasts working locally or internationally.
“We know the people of this city – in the neighborhoods and in the private sector – are steeped in great ideas, and this is an effort to tap into that wealth of creative thinking,” said Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Rhynhart, who is overseeing the effort. “Whatever your background, if you have an innovative idea on new uses for city assets, we want to hear from you.”
Solutions can include, but are not limited to, IoT products and technologies such as:
- Remote meter-reading that allows information to be collected and forwarded to the Water Department for billing purposes
- Dynamic street lighting systems that can be controlled remotely, react to citizens, provide valuable data, and/or reduce energy costs.
- Detection devices that can identify a gunshot and send the information to the City’s 911 Center while simultaneously alerting the City’s cameras in the vicinity to focus in on the location.
- Technologies that can detect changes in traffic flows, pedestrian and cyclist activity, and parking availability.
- Public Wi-Fi in commercial and neighborhood corridors that would support communities of mobile/flexible workers.
- Public Safety Surveillance: Additional video surveillance points and cameras, used exclusively for public safety purposes, which police could monitor, especially in high crime areas.
The 25 tower sites were leased over a decade ago as part of a project to provide citywide Wi-Fi service, an effort that proved unsuccessful. The cost to the City since then for the leases and related costs has been more than $1.2 million a year.
The Smart City Challenge consists of two stages. The first stage is a Request for Information during which the city is looking for information on all possible solutions available. The deadline for submissions is August 12th, 2016. The second stage is a Request for Proposals which will draw from the market insights sourced in the first round.
The Challenge is being staged in conjunction with Citymart, a group that partners with cities to help them seek new solutions to procurement. Citymart transforms the way cities solve problems, connecting them with new ideas through open Challenges to entrepreneurs and citizens.
To find out more about the Smart City Challenge, go to http://www.citymart.com/philadelphia-smart-city.