On June 17th, 2022, WCPO reported on the ongoing installation of interactive kiosks throughout Cincinnati. The kiosks are the result of a partnership between the city government, a technology company called IKE Smart City and 3CDC, a local real-estate developer. Five kiosks have been installed to date, but the project's goal is to install 30 such kiosks around the city in the near future.
The kiosks provide a plethora of information to residents and visitors:
The IKE kiosks have double-sided, ADA-compliant touchscreens, and each kiosk serves as a free WiFi hotspot displaying information specific to the surrounding area of where the kiosk is located. There will also be multilingual content listings and directories of local businesses, events, job listings, social services, food support and more... The kiosks can also display severe weather alerts, AMBER alerts, fire warnings, active shooter events and more provided by more than 1,000 different certified authorities.
Kiosks like these, which sport not only information but also provide services like free WiFi, are examples of technology found within smart cities. But what are smart cities, and where can you find them in the Cincinnati area?
An Intro to Smart Cities
Smart cities are cities that employ modern technology and data collection techniques to provide services. This includes devices like the kiosks popping up around Cincinnati as well as other measures like city zones with free, public WiFi. They also include technology used in smart grids, electronic bike and vehicle rental, digital CCTV networks and other security tech.
You'll notice that all of these technologies frequently rely on collecting people's data in order to function. Thus, smart cities make clever use of the modern data economy to provide public services, amenities and business opportunities.
Local Smart Cities
Cincinnati isn't the only area in the tri-state to begin making the transition to smart city status. The Oregon district in Dayton offers free public WiFi, offering customers a way to stay connected while shopping. The WiFi also enables local businesses to run analytics on their stores' traffic, map busy times of the day and even analyze customer engagement. They've also deployed a network of digital cameras as a security measure.
In addition, Ludlow, Kentucky and Loveland have installed sensors, which monitor air pollution. Both cities have committed to providing their residents with free, public WiFi and fiber optic internet service. Meanwhile, Colerain, Lockland, Middletown and Wyoming either offer areas with free WiFi or are planning on implementing them in the near future.
In addition to the technologies mentioned already, Cincinnati has implemented a handful of other smart city initiatives; including smart water meters; digital sewer monitoring, which can detect blocks and overflows; drones to aid in maintaining water infrastructure and novel methods to report emergencies and request services.
The technology used to create smart cities isn't limited to municipal or civic purposes. It's also a viable way to improve your firm's data collection, customer service experience, worker retention and security. If you're looking for ways to take advantage of modern data technology, give Titan Tech a call today to learn more.
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