Establishing collaborative workflows that integrate geospatial knowledge into the digital ecosystem will help in the development of smart cities
The concept of smart cities is fast becoming a global trend since it provides a comprehensive digital environment that improves the efficiency and security of urban systems and reinforces the involvement of citizens in the urban development process. Geospatial data underpins almost every aspect of smart city development. It plays a key role in the planning and decision-making process for delivering urban services in a dynamic environment, for developing comprehensive city management systems, and dealing with complex urban environmental issues.
These were some of the highlights of the third Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure (GKI) virtual seminar themed, Collaborative Workflow for Geospatial Knowledge in Digital Cities Ecosystem. The discussion addressed the evolving challenges associated with the ever-expanding, dynamic urban landscape that necessitates a cognitive approach towards cities’ workflows through the integration of geospatial data.
“The geospatial world is changing more rapidly. Users are changing too. It is no longer the traditional ways that we are used to now. The application in the smartphone use location, automated drones, and automated vehicles are already running on roads. Geospatial knowledge should integrate with established and emerging wider digital infrastructure to be a single digital ecosystem. Since, knowledge is the focus, humans, and machines seek knowledge, not data, to make decisions,” said John Kedar, Strategic Advisor, Geospatial Infrastructure, Geospatial World.
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Smart cities require digital system
According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK 2013, “The concept is not static, there is no absolute definition of a smart city, no endpoint, but rather a process, or series of steps, by which cities become more ‘livable’ and resilient and, hence, able to respond quickly to new challenges.” The successful implementation of a smart city project requires the development of a digital system that can manage and visualize the geospatial data in a user-friendly environment.
“Digital twin is not new. To simply put, it is a virtual presentation of the real world. New-age technologies are contributing to city services, utility management, and disaster management. Surveillance is also important so that you live life in a big city,” said Dr Shivangi Somvanshi, Director, Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure, Geospatial World.
For the development of smart cities, digital twins are a necessity. A digital twin is a virtual representation of the real world which includes physical objects, processes, relationships, and behaviors. Digital twins open up a whole new world of opportunities.
For example, the Singapore Land Authority Digital Twin is a virtual replication of the city-state of Singapore. It enables users from different sectors to develop sophisticated tools and applications for test-bedding concepts and services. It also helps in planning, citizen engagement, decision-making, and research on technologies that could solve complex and emerging challenges in the country.
Value of geospatial knowledge in cities
Talking about the relevance and value of geospatial knowledge in cities, Dr Greg Scott, UN GGIM, Secretariat, said, “Many of our global development challenges, particularly pertaining to socio-economic development, are intrinsically tied to population growth— cities and urbanization. Urbanization continues to be a major driver for global development and poverty reduction.”
Scott also pointed out that urbanization is not only an outcome of development, but a formidable engine to achieve development. “Cities are key to tackling global challenges, such as poverty, social inequalities, and climate change,” he said.
He also mentioned that with more than 80 per cent of global GDP generated in cities, urbanization, if managed well, can contribute towards sustainable and inclusive growth, in harmony with nature, while addressing inequalities, increasing productivity, promoting job creation, and social well-being, etc. The battle of sustainable development will be won or lost in cities. By 2050, the urban population alone will be larger than the current total world population, posing massive sustainable challenges in terms of housing, infrastructure, basic services, and jobs among others.
“A smart city is one that uses technology and data to accelerate livability, workability, and sustainability,” said Dr Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse, Executive Director, Strategic Consulting and International Relations, Spatial Vision.
But there are parts of the world that do not know about digital cities or digital twins. In most of the developing world, this concept remains out of reach. This is where GKI intends to introduce a wider geospatial dimension and help them to become a part of the ‘knowledge infrastructure’.
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Data is a key source
Talking about the challenges of adoption and scale of smart cities and 4IR technology, Henrik Aagaard Johanson, Owner of AKiLAY ApS, said, “There is a lack of coherence, lack of common language and understanding between the decision-makers and the technologies that have been developed, there is also a lack of use of knowledge and best practices in many projects, and also lack of data when we talk about digital foundation.”
To make data usable for problem-solving geospatial knowledge provides the answers. Every day, data that is being collected or processed has a critical geospatial context of location and time, which is the fourth dimension of geospatial knowledge and it plays a vital role in digital cities. Satellites, aerial, mobile, and fixed sensors, weather sensors, and other IoT (Internet of Things) sensors are the sources that can provide real-time data.
“The power of geospatial knowledge when combined with technologies, is what is driving the entire industry. Digital cities are being driven by data and machine intelligence. In the journey of this digital transformation, we are in the middle of Industry 4.0. There are some challenges and opportunities. Challenges like climate change, health, urbanization and security; and opportunities like location-based technologies in navigation and networks, Earth Observations in precision applications, Artificial Intelligence and analytical modeling on spatial data, integrating BIM, GIS and digital twin, and visualization and immersive technology,” said Dr Hanuman Prasad Chodagam, Director, Capgemini.
It has become increasingly clear that there is a need for a radical shift in the way cities and human settlements are planned, developed, governed, and managed. The decisions we make today will shape our common urban future and GKI can address the present and future challenges.
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