Contemporary Applications of Big Data in Society

 

In my last post I discussed the way in which Big Data has had an impact on business and science in today’s world. Because of the variety, volume, and velocity of data these days, Big Data is having an impact on almost all aspects of todays society. Business, science, healthcare, government, social media, entertainment, retail, etc. it seems data is having a revolutionary impact everywhere and to give an example of this I will discuss Smart Cities in this post.

In 2025 it is estimated that 60% of the global population live in cities. Cities come with a lot of challenges and the concept of smart cities has been developed to use modern technology to address some of these challenges.

A smart city is a place where traditional networks and services are made more efficient with the use of digital solutions for the benefit of its inhabitants and business. (1) This involves integrating various digital solutions and Big Data technologies into city infrastructure to improve services like transport, energy management, waste disposal, and public safety.

Big Data solutions are used to address many issues to improve cities:

Transportation – Using GPS-enabled devices, traffic cameras, and public transport systems, smart cities can leverage this data to optimise traffic flow. Reducing congestion using dynamic traffic light adjustments, intelligent routing suggestions, and optimizing public transport schedules leads to faster travel times and lower fuel consumptions and emissions.

Resource Management – Big Data technologies can help make cities more sustainable. Smart Grids can analyse energy consumptions, to optimise distribution and making energy demand more predictable. This makes the integration of sustainable energy sources easier. Analysing water usage can help identify leaks and promote conservation promoting more environmentally friendly habits.

Better Infrastructure Management – Using Big Data techniques to analyse data from sensors embedded in bridges, roads, and buildings can provide information on structural health. This allows for predictive maintenance, identifying issues before the lead to worse structural damage leading to costly repairs and failures. Maintenance can also be planned around other analysed data to reduce disruption to traffic flow.

(2)

While some of these may seem futuristic, they are being used in cities across the planet:

  • London has open data feeds for traffic and public transport for open use (3)
  • Copenhagen is integrating a smart energy system (4)
  • New York uses smart bins that signal when they are full to optimise collection routes (5)

 

1. https://commission.europa.eu/eu-regional-and-urban-development/topics/cities-and-urban-development/city-initiatives/smart-cities_en#:~:text=Related%20events-,What%20are%20smart%20cities?,signed%20up%20as%20a%20member

2. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/smart-city

3. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/open-data-users/our-open-data

4. https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/Cities100-Copenhagen-s-new-Nordhavn-neighbourhood-is-a-centre-of-innovation-for-smart-energy-systems?language=en_US

5. https://www.rts.com/blog/what-is-a-smart-waste-bin/

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