The city will install 1,000 above-ground sensors in part of the city to pilot a range of new applications, including traffic sensors, anti-smoking monitors, autonomous cars and smart street lighting.
This pilot work will then be used to develop a broader infrastructure across the city, which will connect to citizens’ personal devices, and in the future not only connect to smart phones but wearable technology, citizens’ personal medical sensors and household appliances.
The sensor network will also enable Singapore to develop location-based services, Steve Leonard, IDA deputy executive chairman told FutureGov. “The goal would be that as we have more knowledge about what’s happening in any particular place, the location-based services can be more tightly defined - so location within x metres versus y kilometres,” he said.
Asked how Singapore’s ‘Smart Nation’ strategy differed from other cities’ use of sensors, he told FutureGov there are three factors that make Singapore’s plan unique. First, he said, “how we’re trying to do this across the whole of government… what we think makes us unique is the ability to have all the parts of government working together, so there’s been many discussion that have included transport, health and education.”
Second, he said that Singapore already has good connectivity and plans to increase its broadband capacity further. And third, they can easily discuss the privacy and data concerns that citizens have and quickly find solutions because “we have unambiguous support from senior leaders”.
Concern about data protection is an ongoing topic of discussion, Leonard told a press conference. Currently Singapore agencies are excluded from data protection requirements, and he said that “was originally contemplated for the outcome of making sharing easier for serving citizens. As we evolve, we’ll always have to reconsider whether there’s a different better or improved way for us to structure personal data protection.”
Another challenge will be retrofitting older housing stock with sensors, he admitted.
The Singapore Government declined to provide budgetary details about their new plan.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Joshua Chambers
Quelle/Source: futureGov, 18.06.2014
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