Search Results (4,639)

The presented paper examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the management of smart cities, focusing on the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodships in Poland. This research addresses a notable gap in the analysis of regional AI strategies within urban management, providing a comparative analysis of AI implementation in these two distinct regions. The Silesian Voivodship, with its emphasis on traditional industries such as manufacturing and energy, contrasts with the broader approach of the Lesser Poland Voivodship, which includes applications in life sciences and ICT. The paper explores how AI technologies enhance urban efficiency, sustainability, and livability through practical applications in traffic management, healthcare, energy efficiency, and environmental management. It highlights the importance of a human-centric approach in smart city development, emphasizing inclusivity, transparency, and ethical considerations. The paper also delves into the socio-technical dynamics of AI deployment, illustrating how these technologies can transform urban environments while ensuring that the benefits are equitably distributed and that urban developments are sustainable and resilient. By analyzing specific case studies, the authors aim to provide empirical evidence and insights that contribute to the academic and practical understanding of AI’s role in smart cities, ultimately advocating for the design of AI applications that prioritize human well-being and environmental health. Full article

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a frontrunner in digitalising government services, demonstrating the successful implementation of National Digital Identity (NDI) systems. Unlike many developing nations with varying levels of success with electronic ID systems due to legal, socio-cultural, and ethical concerns, the UAE has seamlessly integrated digital identities into various sectors, including security, transportation, and more, through initiatives like UAE Pass. This study draws on the UAE’s functional digital ID systems, such as those utilised in the Dubai Smart City project, to highlight the potential efficiencies and productivity gains in public services while addressing the associated risks of cybersecurity and privacy. This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the UAE’s NDI and its impact on the nation’s digital transformation agenda, offering a thorough analysis of the effectiveness and challenges of NDIs, explicitly focusing on the UAE’s approach. Full article

Swash–swash interaction is a common natural phenomenon in the nearshore region, characterized by complex fluid motion. The characteristics of swash–swash interaction are crucial to sediment transport, subsequently affecting the beach morphology. This study investigates the hydrodynamics and sediment transport in swash–swash interaction under two successive solitary waves using a two-phase Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) model. The effects of the time interval between the two waves are examined. It is shown that the time interval has a minor effect on the breaking and swash–swash interacting patterns as well as the final beach morphology but influences the run-up of the second wave and the instantaneous sediment flux. Under wave breaking in the swash–swash interaction, there is significant sediment suspension due to strong vortices, and the suspended sediment forms a plume upward from the bed. The sediment plumes gradually settle down as the vortices decay. These insights enhance the understanding of sediment transport and beach morphology under complex swash–swash interaction. Full article

Smart cities use technological solutions to reduce the drawbacks of urban living. The importance of BIM and GIS integration has increased with the popularity of smart city and 3D city concepts in recent years. In addition to 3D city models, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is an essential element of smart cities. The 3D city model web client in this study displays three-dimensional (3D) city models created using photogrammetric techniques, BIM, and campus infrastructure projects. The comparison and integration of the aforementioned systems were evaluated. A web-based 3D client framework and implementation for combined BIM and 3D city models are the goals of the submitted work. The Web is a very challenging platform for 3D data presentation. The Cesium engine based on HTML5 and WebGL is an open-source creation and the virtualcityMAP application using the Cesium infrastructure was used in this study. Full article

The problems of achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals related to providing both developed and developing countries with cheap and accessible energy, as well as in the context of taking climate action, cannot be solved, on the one hand, without a transition to Energy 5.0, within the framework of the upcoming Fifth Industrial Revolution. On the other hand, it cannot be carried out without ensuring a “seamless” Fourth Energy Transition, which poses new challenges for the technological modernization of power production from non-renewables. Along with this, the expected transition to a human-centric Industry 5.0 challenges researchers to identify obstacles to the diffusion of technologies within hydrocarbon production industries and ways to overcome them in regard to the upcoming Mining 5.0 and Oil and Gas 5.0 environment. In this regard, the purpose of this review is to analyze the structure of scientific publications in this field of research on the human-centric development of technologies in terms of these platforms in order to outline the basis for further research. To achieve this goal, this review provides a multifaceted overview of the main technologies of Industry 5.0, embodied within Energy 5.0, Mining 5.0, and Oil and Gas 5.0, such as collaborative artificial intelligence and co-bots, digital tees, the industrial Internet of Everything, smart cities, and industry; their human-centric nature is revealed as the basis for achieving significant sustainable development goals. This review concludes that there is a need for further analysis of certain areas of the transition to Energy 5.0, such as the human-centric development of digital technologies of Industry 5.0 in the fuel and energy sector, and the revision of its role in terms of achieving the sustainable development goals in the future. Full article

Drones have experienced rapid technological advancements, leading to the proliferation of small, low-cost, remotely controlled, and autonomous aerial vehicles with diverse applications, from package delivery to personal transportation. However, integrating these drones into the existing air traffic management (ATM) system poses significant challenges. The current ATM infrastructure, designed primarily for traditionally manned aircraft, requires enhanced capacity, workforce, and cost-effectiveness to coordinate the large number of drones expected to operate at low altitudes in complex urban environments. Therefore, this study aims to develop an intelligent, highly automated drone management system for integration into smart city transportation networks. The key objectives include the following: (i) developing a conceptual framework for an intelligent total transportation management system tailored for future smart cities, focusing on incorporating drone operations; (ii) designing an advanced air traffic management and flight control system capable of managing individual drones and drone swarms in complex urban environments; (iii) improving drone management methods by leveraging drone-following models and emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Internet of Drones (IoD); and (iv) investigating the landing processes and protocols for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enable safe and efficient operations. Full article

Due to urban overcrowding, available land is limited and traffic congestion has increased. Underground roads are being built to mitigate traffic congestion as an alternative. Studies associated with underground roads are needed because these roads are dark and closed and have a high risk of accidents compared to surface roads. In particular, there is limited study on junctions that connect two or more underground roads. In this study, an underground road network including junctions was constructed to analyze the factors behind rear-end collisions at underground road connections. To reflect the driving behavior on underground roads, the scenario analysis was conducted by applying the speed distribution of underground roads in Korea. The results of the analysis showed that variables such as acceleration standard deviation and lateral position standard deviation are crucial for accidents on underground roads. Thus, this study can be used as a basis for traffic management and safety improvement in the operation of underground road junctions in the future. Full article

The success of developing and implementing Smart Cities (SC) projects depends on a varied set of factors, where the availability of a qualified technical workforce is a critical one. The combination of ICT requirements, like the effectiveness and quality of solutions merging IoT, cloud computing, sensors, and communications with the work from many varied disciplines (e.g., civil engineering, architecture, etc.), mixed with aspects of environmental and business sustainability, makes the management of these projects really challenging. Reports forecast a scarcity of qualified candidates, given this complexity and the growth of activity in SC projects. The European project SMACITE has addressed the requirements of the qualification of an ICT workforce with an analysis of multiples sources of information from the labor market, feedback from involved stakeholders, and the literature. The goal was the development of two occupational ICT profiles as a reference for training and for the availability of candidates for job vacancies. The result is two ICT role profiles for engineers and technicians, mapped with the European skills frameworks ESCO and EN16234. The profiles determined the whole set of requirements, including not only the technical areas and soft skills, but also additional technical areas and sustainability and managerial skills and the analysis of different sources of information. Our work has also determined which existing ESCO occupations are similar to the two reference profiles, so they are better adapted to SC projects. The training activities of SMACITE have also suggested the amount of training expected for a varied sample of candidates who want to be qualified for SC projects. Full article

With the rapid advancement of the Internet of Things and the emergence of 6G networks in smart city environments, a growth in the generation of data, commonly known as big data, is expected to consequently lead to higher latency. To mitigate this latency, mobile edge computing has been proposed to alleviate a portion of the workload from mobile devices by offloading it to nearby edge servers equipped with appropriate computational resources. However, existing solutions often exhibit poor performance when confronted with complex network topologies. Thus, this paper introduces a decentralized mechanism aimed at determining the locations of network edge nodes in such complex network topologies, characterized by lengthy execution times. Our proposal provides performance improvements and offers scalability and flexibility as networks become more complex. Experimental evaluations are conducted using the Shanghai Telecom dataset to validate our proposed approach. Full article

International research attention on evacuation issues has increased significantly following the human and natural disasters at the turn of the century, such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, the Black Saturday forest fires and tsunamis in Japan. The main problem concerning when a disaster can occur involves studying the risk reduction. Risk, following all the theoretical and experimental studies, is determined by the product of three components: occurrence, vulnerability and exposure. Vulnerability can be improved over time through major infrastructure actions, but absolute security cannot be achieved. When the event will occur with certainty, only exposure remains to reduce the risk to people before the effect hits them. Exposure can be improved, under fixed conditions of occurrence and vulnerability, by improving evacuation. The main problem in terms of evacuating the population from an area is the available transport system, which must be used to its fullest. So, if the system is well managed, the evacuation improves (shorter times), meaning the exposure is reduced, and therefore, the risk is reduced. A key factor in the analysis of transport systems under emergency conditions is the behavior of the user, and therefore, the study of demand. This work identifies the main research lines that are useful for studying demand under exposure-related risk conditions. The classification of demand models that simulate evacuation conditions in relation to the effect on the transportation system is summarized. The contribution proposes a model for updating choice in relation to emergency conditions and utility. The contribution of emerging ICTs to actualization is formally introduced into the models. Intelligent technologies make it possible to improve user decisions, reducing exposure and therefore risk. The proposed model moves within the two approaches of the literature: it is an inter-period dynamic model with the probability expressed within the discrete choice theory; furthermore, it is a sequential dynamic model with the probability dependent on the previous choices. The contribution presents an example of application of the model, developing a transition matrix considering the case of choice updating under two extreme conditions. Full article

The aim of the paper was to identify which European capitals are sustainable and smart, why, and what influences the ranking. The main research hypothesis was to indicate that cities in the ‘old’ E.U. countries (richer and with higher levels of economic development) are more sustainable and smart. Furthermore, sustainable smart cities, by definition, through the use of advanced and modern management tools and technological support, should contribute to community resilience. Sustainable energy plays a significant role in the measurement system. The study’s results showed the differences that exist across countries, as well as the leaders in each smart category and area. This is interesting and new; from a research point of view, there has been no study based on OECD research and data confronting and correlating the range of data with indicators found in the literature. The study results show that the concept of a smart city is comprehensive and that it is necessary to analyze in depth the various sub-categories included in the measurement and assessment of smartness offered by different indicators. This is because it turns out that an overall score and ranking do not always mean that a city is smart in every area and every element included in smart. Statistical methods and literature analysis are used for the study. The results represent a novel development and contribution to the science discipline and can be the basis for further scientific exploration in this area. The research gap and challenge indicate whether there is a link and correlation between the use of sustainable energy in E.U. countries and the implementation of smart concepts in European capitals in the context of the division into ‘new’ and ‘old’ E.U. capitals. An important element is the verification of the thesis that ‘old’ capitals are more advanced in the implementation of smart cities and make greater use of sustainable energy to meet social and economic needs. The thesis has been partly falsified and confirmed negatively; the results are not obvious. It means that the ‘new’ E.U. countries are very skillful in using financial, organizational, and common development policy opportunities to make their cities modern, intelligent, and friendly to their inhabitants. Full article

This study investigates the innovative use of street puppet theatre performances on the façades of commercial buildings to stimulate social gatherings in smart cities. This research investigates the impact of a unique musical puppet show held throughout the 2024 holiday season in the well-known shopping mall El Corte Inglés in Madrid, Spain. This study utilises both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, such as space syntax analysis and empirical observations. It uses the UCL Depthmap 10 software program to assess urban morphology and identify integrated and segregated areas. Observations and video recordings were conducted to analyse social gatherings and behaviours during the performances. The findings reveal that these performances attract diverse audiences and foster social engagement, transforming commercial façades into vibrant public spaces. The study concludes that such innovative uses of urban architecture can significantly enhance the sociability of detached and segregated urban spaces. The research demonstrates that this particular dynamic façade not only fosters social sustainability by creating lively urban spaces but also contributes to economic sustainability by attracting potential customers to commercial centres. This research advances the discourse on smart city development and public space utilisation, offering valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers on leveraging interactive urban façades to enhance public engagement and revitalise underutilised spaces. Full article

To address the growing need for advanced tools that enable urban policymakers to conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analyses of traffic management changes, the Urbanite H2020 project has developed innovative artificial intelligence methods. Among them is a robust decision support system that assists policymakers in evaluating and selecting optimal urban mobility planning modifications by combining objective and subjective criteria. Utilising open-source microscopic traffic simulation tools, accurate digital models (or “digital twins”) of four pilot cities—Bilbao, Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Messina—were created, each addressing unique mobility challenges. These challenges include reducing private vehicle access in Bilbao’s city center, analysing the impact of increased bicycle traffic and population growth in Amsterdam, constructing a mobility-enhancing tunnel in Helsinki, and improving public transport connectivity in Messina. The research introduces five key innovations: the application of a consistent open-source simulation platform across diverse urban environments, addressing integration and consistency challenges; the pioneering use of Dexi for advanced decision support in smart cities; the implementation of advanced visualisations; and the integration of the machine learning tool, Orange, with a user-friendly GUI interface. These innovations collectively make complex data analysis accessible to non-technical users. By applying multi-label machine learning techniques, the decision-making process is accelerated by three orders of magnitude, significantly enhancing urban planning efficiency. The Urbanite project’s findings offer valuable insights into both anticipated and unexpected outcomes of mobility interventions, presenting a scalable, open-source AI-based framework for urban decision-makers worldwide. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive and comparative study of solar energy forecasting in Morocco, utilizing four machine learning algorithms: Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The study is conducted using a smart metering device designed for a photovoltaic system at an industrial site in Benguerir, Morocco. The smart metering device collects energy usage data from a submeter and transmits it to the cloud via an ESP-32 card, enhancing monitoring, efficiency, and energy utilization. Our methodology includes an analysis of solar resources, considering factors such as location, temperature, and irradiance levels, with PVSYST simulation software version 7.2, employed to evaluate system performance under varying conditions. Additionally, a data logger is developed to monitor solar panel energy production, securely storing data in the cloud while accurately measuring key parameters and transmitting them using reliable communication protocols. An intuitive web interface is also created for data visualization and analysis. The research demonstrates a holistic approach to smart metering devices for photovoltaic systems, contributing to sustainable energy utilization, smart grid development, and environmental conservation in Morocco. The performance analysis indicates that ANNs are the most effective predictive model for solar energy forecasting in similar scenarios, demonstrating the lowest RMSE and MAE values, along with the highest R² value. Full article

The Internet of Things refers to a network of interconnected devices, objects, and systems, that can interact with one another without human intervention. The adoption of IoT technology has expanded rapidly, significantly impacting various fields, including smart healthcare, intelligent transportation, agriculture, and smart homes. This paper focuses on smart street lighting, which represents the core piece of the smart city and the key public service for citizens’ safety. Nevertheless, it poses substantial challenges related to energy consumption, especially during energy crises. This work aims to provide an advanced solution that enables intelligent control of street lighting, enhances human safety, reduces CO₂ emissions and light pollution, and optimizes energy consumption, as well as facilitates maintenance of the lighting network. The solution is twofold: First, it introduces IoT-based smart street lighting referential models; second, it presents a framework for controlling smart street lighting based on the referential models. The proposal uses an IoT-based fuzzy multi-agent systems approach to address the challenges of smart street lighting. The approach leverages the strengths and properties of fuzzy logic and multi-agent systems to address the system requirements. This is illustrated through a testbed case study conducted on a concrete IoT prototype. Full article