Week 12 Digital cities – Summary

Week 12 Digital cities – Summary

One of the news headlines on the news in May was regarding an “NHS cyber attack”. This hack had a major impact on the NHS and it affected many hospitals who as a result were forced to turn away some of their patients regardless of how serious their case was. This is one of the examples that shows that as cities and countries are slowly shifting everything into the digital world, it is important to keep improving the security system regarding data and personal information in order to avoid such unfortunate situation. Prior to taking this module, I didn’t raise any concern regarding the importance of big data, open data, privacy, dashboard etc. However, being able to understand how vital it is to our cities and our daily lives, it has allowed me to appreciate technology even more. Learning about Digital Cities has been a fascinating journey because I had the privilege to academically learn and analyze facts that we are all already experiencing in our new digital world.
As stated by Townsend (2013),” The old city of concrete, glass, and steel now conceals a vast world of computers and software. Linked up via the Internet, these devices are stitched together into a nervous system that supports the daily lives of billions … They dispatch packages, elevators, and ambulances…. That machine now runs the world on our behalf…. It is a historic shift on how we build and manage our cities (pg xvii)”.

One of the main subject that shaped my idea for the assignment 2 is on “Digital Cities and sustainability”. Being able to explore how a digital city can contribute to making digital cities greener and eco-friendly by recycling and using sustainable material has enlightened my perception of smart cities and development. To be able to learn that a city that is thriving economically should also think about tomorrow and promote sustainability inspired my essay topic for this module. I will explore the how cities in developing countries can incorporate the notion of sustainability before moving into the digital. My essay will focus on the city of Kinshasa which is the capital of the DR Congo.

References

Behrendt, F. (2017).Sustainability and Sensing

Kitchin, R., Lauriault, T., and McArdle, G. (2015). Knowing and governing cities through urban indicators, city benchmarking and real-time dashboards. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 2(1), pp.6-28.

Liang, L. and Paddison, L. (2017). Could 3D printing help tackle poverty and plastic waste?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/nov/06/3d-printing-plastic-waste-poverty-development-protoprint-reflow-techfortrade [Accessed 29 May 2017]

Morefield, A. (2016). Five Ways 3D Printing can help Alleviate Poverty

Townsend, A., M. 2013. Smart Cities. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

3D printing

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This image requires alt text, but the alt text is currently blank. Either add alt text or mark the image as decorative.Week 11
3D Printing

According to Barnett, “3D Printing is about to transform our lives. 3D printers build up solid objects in a great many very thin layers” (2013). It is a machine that is able to print physical object on a three dimensional form. According to Dehue (2017), “a 3D object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object fully is created”. Although, it is not a new invention, but rather the more advanced and developed innovation that started over 30 years ago by Charles Chuck Hull (Birtchnell and Urry, 2016: 1), 3D printing is set to be part of the next industrial revolution.
This technology is able to produce objects ranging from medicines, car and plane parts, building and body part such a limb, hands and even guns. However, Liang and Paddison (2017) also believe that the 3D printing can help alleviate poverty in some areas. Last week, a video from a Congolese blogger circulated on the internet and it showed how thousands of plastic bottles were found on the shore of the Congolese River. This pollution is caused by the fact that there is not an adequate measure taken for recycling used products in many developing countries such as DRC, India etc. This is partly due to the highest level of poverty in those countries. Morfield argue that in the upcoming years, the 3D printing will reduce the manufacturing cost of many products which will allow small businesses to thrive and contribute to the economy of their countries.

Suchismita and Jayant Pai who founded the Photoprints business with another partner company are working toward recycling the plastic bottles collected from the waste to produce low cost plastic filament which can be used as an ink for 3D printer. This market is growing rapidly and is expected to reach a value of more than a billion dollars in the next five years 9 (Liang and Paddison, 2017)
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Bibliography

Barnatt, C. (2013). 3D printing. 1st ed. [Nottingham, England?]: ExplainingTheFuture.com.

Birtchnell, T. And Urry, J. 2016. A New Industrial Future? 3D Printing and the Reconfiguration of Production, Distribution and Consumption. London: Routledge. Pp. 1-13. 

Dehue, R. (2017). What is 3D printing? How does 3D printing work? Learn How to 3D Print. [online] 3D Printing. Available at: https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/ [Accessed 7 May 2017].

France24 (2017). Une “banquise” de bouteilles en plastique recouvre le fleuve Congo à Kinshasa. [online] Les Observateurs de France 24. Available at: http://observers.france24.com/fr/20170509-une-banquise-bouteilles-plastique-recouvre-fleuve-congo-kinshasa?ref=fb [Accessed 9 May 2017].

Liang, L. and Paddison, L. (2017). Could 3D printing help tackle poverty and plastic waste?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/nov/06/3d-printing-plastic-waste-poverty-development-protoprint-reflow-techfortrade [Accessed 7 May 2017].

Morefield, A. (2016). Five Ways 3D Printing can help Alleviate Poverty. [online] BORGEN. Available at: http://www.borgenmagazine.com/3d-printing-alleviate-poverty/ [Accessed 7 May 2017].

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Drones: week 9

Drones

The drone is gradually conquering its place in the smart cities. In the military, the drone has been used since the beginning of the 21st century. Its main purpose was providing war managers with intelligence, information. The drone is capable of transmitting long-distance surveillance information as well as carrying weapons (Jensen, 2016). Jensen (2016) also states that “the latest technological trajectory of drone is centred around database” (pg 67).

However, recently, its usage has also been extended from from playing the role of airborne mobile sensor to delivering light postage packages. According to Jensen, this latest use of drones has raised an ethical and political concern especially in this time where the fight against terrorism is at its highest point (pg 68). Jensen states that this is due to the fact that despite its purpose (even if it is for domestic use), “having remote-controlled flying devices that are capable to communicate between them in urban and domestic area can have a negative effect on the privacy of the population “(p68).

In 2015, Switzerland post service had their first parcel delivered by a drone. Although it was part of the testing, postal service executive affirmed their satisfaction even though they believed that if the project had to go ahead, a full postal service via drone will not kick off until 2020 (Agence France Presse, 2015). This service is said to be quicker but also safe. Jensen explores the idea of mobility of goods, people, vehicle which he states that is more important that the movement itself. He also states that this is because, mobility explores the social, cultural, economic and political dimension of this new increasing mobile society (2017, pg 69).

According to Flood 2017), the drone delivery service is considered as an agent of hope because several discussion have been held in regards to the importance of using drones to deliver food and medical supply and others important product in deprived areas. In Rwanda, for example Flood states that, because of the long raining season, some areas become inaccessible by road. Therefore, as stated by Flood, “this technology has the potential to erase barriers to access for countless critical medicines and save lives on a scale not previously possible” (Flood, 2016).

 

References

Agence France-Presse (2017). Switzerland begins postal delivery by drone. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/08/swiss-post-begins-testing-postal-delivery-by-unmanned-drone [Accessed 29 Apr. 2017].

Jensen, O. (2016). Drone city – power, design and aerial mobility in the age of “smart cities”. Geographica Helvetica, 71(2), pp.67-75.

Flood, Z. (2017). From killing machines to agents of hope: the future of drones in Africa. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/27/africas-drone-rwanda-zipline-kenya-kruger [Accessed 1 May 2017].

 

 

 

 

 

Week 10 Sustainability and Sensing

Sustainability and Sensing

In the last 30 years, the world has witnessed a massive change and evolution especially in the IT sector. The pace in which this technological revolution has increased has influenced how people live, think or act. The constant need of always being mobile, reachable, accessible and having 24/7 access to information has become the lifestyle of over 3 billion people who have access to the technology and the internet. This concept of mobile lives, according to Elliott and Urry are lived, experienced and reflected upon in the course of day-to-day life (2010, p 155).

However, in order to experience this new lifestyle and all the benefit that technology is constantly bringing to its users, there has to be a constant production of new electronic equipment, adaptable infrastructure, transport etc . For example, faster cars, smartphones and tablets, personal computer, faster internet, smart buildings etc. On the positive note, these gadgets and tools are contributing to the concept of building smart cities around the world.

Smart city, “use modern digital technology to improve the quality of life and performance (Contributor, 3p, 2017). De Lange (2013) states that “the smart city taps into the potential of digital technologies to help solve urban issues. As it operates on mixed fields of digital and urban design it has to have a certain underlying take of the hybrid nature of cities, however implicit.” (p 1).

However, the UN Sustainable Development Goals states that “it is important to engage in this development process which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs “(2017). They emphasize on the importance of thinking about the future of our planet rather than simply creating and building for the present. One of the issues that is of a concern is climate change. This is due to the fact that is it already affecting the food, water, peace and security ( UN, 2017 ). Therefore, the UN Sustainable Development Goals have also state that if it is neglected,” it will roll back the development gains that is already been made over the last decades and will make further gains impossible” (2017).

References

 Contributor, 3p. “Smart Cities Enable Urban Sustainability”. Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

De Lange, Michiel. “The Smart City You Love To Hate”. http://www.bijt.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

Griggs, David et al. “Policy: Sustainable Development Goals For People And Planet”. Nature 495.7441 (2013): 305-307. Web. 23 Apr. 2017.

Netzband, Maik, Charles Redman, and William L Stefanov. Applied Remote Sensing For Urban Planning, Governance And Sustainability. 1st ed. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2007. Print.

UN. “Sustainable Development Goals”. Un.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

 

 

City Dashboards & Open Data

According to the Open Data Institute, an open data is a “data is data that anyone can access, use or share” (Open Data Institute, 2017). They also state that Open Data impacts everybody and it has proven benefits for our economies and citizens (2017). The Brighton and Hove council have use open data with the service that they provide via Community Insight service which replaced the Brighton & Hove Local Information Service (BHLIS). The community insight is a service that allows the audience to “find, explore and use a wide range of facts and figures at different geographic levels for Brighton & Hove and the surrounding area” (Community Insight, 2017). Funded by the local council, the service provides information regarding different areas in Brighton and Hove that contribute to the development of the city.  The aim of these services according to Kitchin et al., is to actively frame and produce cities rather than just representing them (Kitchin et al., 2015 pg 6)

On the other hand, city dashboard “aggregates simple spatial data for cities around the UK and displays the data on a dashboard and a map” (City Dashboard, 2017). Both case studies display information that are accessible to the audience. These information are proven to be current and relevant. Through these dashboard, “they show how different areas compare with each other on key indicators, with data shown as a matrix or charts” (Community Insight, 2017).

Leszczynski (2016), quoting dodges states that the way code, data and procedures put the city together is physically uneven. This is due to the fact the “softwirisation of the cities have made transparent the way various practices related to the socio-spatial area have been presented to the audience (Leszczynski, 2016: 1694). According to Kitchin, Lauriault and McArdle (2014) the use of indicators has proliferated… and it is well being used to monitor and assess various aspects of cities such as sustainability, wellbeing and /or urban services (pg 6-7).

References

City Dashboard. (2017). ‘About.’ City Dashboard. Available at: http://citydashboard.org/about.php [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]

 

Community Insight, (2017). Local Insight. [online] Brighton-hove.communityinsight.org. Available at: http://brighton-hove.communityinsight.org/custom_pages?view_page=1 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017].

Kitchin, R., Lauriault, T. and McArdle, G. (2015). Knowing and governing cities through urban indicators, city benchmarking and real-time dashboards. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 2(1), pp.6-28.

Leszczynski, A. (2016). Speculative futures: Cities, data and governance beyond smart urbanism. Environment and Planning A. 48 (9). Pp.1695.

Open Data Institute. (2017). ‘What is open data?’ Open Data Institute. Available at: http://theodi.org/what-is-open-data [Accessed 13Mar.2017].

Open data and cities dashboard

According to the Open Data Institute, an open data is a “data is data that anyone can access, use or share” (Open Data Institute, 2017). They also state that Open Data impacts everybody and it has proven benefits for our economies and citizens (2017). The Brighton and Hove council have use open data with the service that they provide via Community Insight service which replaced the Brighton & Hove Local Information Service (BHLIS). The community insight is a service that allows the audience to “find, explore and use a wide range of facts and figures at different geographic levels for Brighton & Hove and the surrounding area” (Community Insight, 2017). Funded by the local council, the service provides information regarding different areas in Brighton and Hove that contribute to the development of the city.  The aim of these services according to Kitchin et al., is to actively frame and produce cities rather than just representing them (Kitchin et al., 2015 pg 6)

On the other hand, city dashboard “aggregates simple spatial data for cities around the UK and displays the data on a dashboard and a map” (City Dashboard, 2017). Both case studies display information that are accessible to the audience. These information are proven to be current and relevant. Through these dashboard, “they show how different areas compare with each other on key indicators, with data shown as a matrix or charts” (Community Insight, 2017).

Leszczynski (2016), quoting dodges states that the way code, data and procedures put the city together is physically uneven. This is due to the fact the “softwirisation of the cities have made transparent the way various practices related to the socio-spatial area have been presented to the audience (Leszczynski, 2016: 1694). According to Kitchin, Lauriault and McArdle (2014) the use of indicators has proliferated… and it is well being used to monitor and assess various aspects of cities such as sustainability, wellbeing and /or urban services (pg 6-7).

References

City Dashboard. (2017). ‘About.’ City Dashboard. Available at: http://citydashboard.org/about.php [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]

Community Insight, (2017). Local Insight. [online] Brighton-hove.communityinsight.org. Available at: http://brighton-hove.communityinsight.org/custom_pages?view_page=1 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017].

Kitchin, R., Lauriault, T. and McArdle, G. (2015). Knowing and governing cities through urban indicators, city benchmarking and real-time dashboards. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 2(1), pp.6-28.

Leszczynski, A. (2016). Speculative futures: Cities, data and governance beyond smart urbanism. Environment and Planning A. 48 (9). Pp.1695.

Open Data Institute. (2017). ‘What is open data?’ Open Data Institute. Available at: http://theodi.org/what-is-open-data [Accessed 13Mar.2017].

Locative Narrative + Actionbound (week5)

The notion of public space according to Berry et al. is associated to the dream-like experiences of a city (2013 :3). Berry also states, quoting Eckart et al. (2008) that the presence of media in public space has transformed how we understand “Public” and “Publicness (pg 5). Associating space and media lead the “space” to become medium that can be represented in a visual form such as television or photograph (Berry et al., 2013, pg 6).

The bounds that I created took me to London in Oxford Street. It had as a purpose to establish the distance between both ends of Oxford street. Some contents were added such as Mission, Scan code and Information. The bound was created on laptop, however I downloaded the “Action bounds” app on my Iphone to carry on with the search. The bounds had as a mission to find all the underground train station that are in Oxford Street. The bound also instructed the user to take a picture of Bounds Street underground station.

According to Ritchie (2014), mobile locative narrative successfully navigates two different spaces; the physical and the digital (pg 57). This principle fully applies to the Actionbound app because the users is compelled to navigate (walking in this case) in the physical world while also navigating digitally with the smartphone in order to accomplish the mission. One of the constraint I was able to elaborate during this process is the possible inaccuracy that can occur if the user has to be timed for example or is the user is asked to evaluate how long it takes to walk from one end of Oxford Street to another. This is due to the fact that Oxford street, being an extremely busy street might make it impossible for the user to walk straight to the destination. The user can encounter issues such as traffic with will compel them to stop and wait. As stated by Richie, physical environment can be ephemeral (2014, pg 65).

With the use of Actionbound app, the public space is heavily dependant on the digital space, vice versa. This is because, without a smartphone, the user will be unable to accomplish his bound.

 

 

References

 

Actionbound, (2017). Actionbound. [online] En.actionbound.com. Available at: https://en.actionbound.com/create/sn166#index [Accessed 6 Mar. 2017].

 

Berry, C., Harbord, J. & Moore, R.O., 2013. Public space, media space. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan: 1-15.

 

Ritchie, J. 2014. The Affordances and Constraints of Mobile Locative Narratives. In The Mo- bile Story. Narrative Practices with Locative Technologies, ed. J. Farman, 53–67. Oxon: Routledge. Pp. 53-55.

Code/Space Week 4

Code/Space 

 

Kitchin and Doges compare the expansion of software to the early invention Steam engine centuries ago. ars, airplanes, factories, trains or space shifts – none of these transportations methods could have been possible if there wasn’t an early breakthrough of steam engines (History and Press, 2012). These inventions didn’t just shape the world back then but it also contributed to the technological evolution that the world is experiencing right now. The same goes to the invention of the printing press, the steel etc. It is hard if not impossible to live an ordinary life without relating to software in any given form. Kitchin and Dodges claim that it is the same way the use of software is shaping the world today (2011, pg 5).

A software, simply being an assemblage of codes and algorithms influences how we live today. Whether we choose to be connected to the internet or not, in the Western world for example, it is impossible not to relate to it. Major companies have adjusted their services and nowadays many of them require customers to use computers or some other technology devices. Kitchin and Dodges explain how when it comes to travelling for example, the combined coded between the billing, ticketing, the check-in, baggage routing etc. work together to produce a coded assemblage that defines and produces airport and passengers air travel (2011, pg 7).

The programmable city blog explores a subject regarding the involvement of individuals in regards to decisions that are made by leaders concerning the digitalisation of their cities. They claim that “technology has the power to help people live in communities that are more responsive to their needs and that can actually improve their lives (The Programmable City, 2016). However, they also state that they way most people will live in next 15 years or so will depend on some of the decision that will be made by their leaders (The Programmable City, 2017). In many cases, important decision involving the public have been taken without consulting them. Usually it is after the new rules are created that the decision-makers inform the public. Kitchin and Doges (2011) claims that “  these coded processed are invisible, however they are revealed to individuals through the fields of official form letters, statements etc” (pg 7).

 

References

History, 1. and Press, T. (2012). 11 Innovations That Changed History – History Lists. [online] HISTORY.com. Available at: http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/11-innovations-that-changed-history [Accessed 27 Feb. 2017].

Kitchin, R. & Dodge, M., 2011. Code/space software and everyday life, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press

The Programmable City, (2017). How to ensure smart cities benefit everyone. [online] The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/how-to-ensure-smart-cities-benefit-everyone-65447 [Accessed 27 Feb. 2017].

 

 

 

Week 3: Mobile and Locative Sound

Mobile and Locative Sound

Recently, I came across an article from the Guardian about an electronic device that was developed by Microsoft in collaboration with Guide dog and Future Cities Catapult. Inspired by the concept of Soundscape, they developed a headset which is equipped with a GPS tracker, compass and gyroscope. Paired with a smartphone, it can be programed by using information from Microsoft Maps to guide through sound visually impaired pedestrians (Wainwright, 2014).

Behrendt (2012), states that while being on a move especially in busy environment, it is often challenging to keep checking on our device’s screen (284).  For a blind person, the concept of soundscape presents quite a lots of advantage. This is because their inability to see means that they can fully rely on sound in order to be active and independent.

In their recent study about blind people and echolocation, Marlow and Brogard, 2015 discovered that visually impaired people have the ability to adapt their brain to see the world through the sound that surround them. On the other hand, Ward and Meijer discussed about the notion of Sensory substitution. They claim that by “converting visual information into auditory or tactile signals it is possible for the blind and visually impaired to acquire information about the world that is not normally accessible through audition and touch” (2010, p3).

In the context developed by Bull (2007) on the Ipod culture, he stated that the Ipod acts as “framing device, enabling a distinctive mode of auditory embodiment (pg 22). Therefore, it can be advised that integrating specific sounds to characterize different location using an Ipod or any other electronic device can help the visually impaired people to increase their mobility. As argued by Bull, they can engage and orientate themselves to the world and to themselves (2007, pg 22).

References

Behrendt, F. (2012) ‘The sound of locative media’, Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 18(3), pp. 283–295.

Bull, M. (2007) Sound moves: IPod culture and urban experience. New York: Taylor & Francis, pg 1-23

Marlow, K. and Brogaard, B. (2015). The Blind Individuals Who See By Sound | DiscoverMagazine.com. [online] Discover Magazine. Available at: http://discovermagazine.com/2015/july-aug/27-sonic-vision [Accessed 20 Feb. 2017].

Ward, J. and Meijer, P. (2010). Visual experiences in the blind induced by an auditory sensory substitution device. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(1), pp.492-500.

Wainwright, O. (2014). Headset provides ‘3D soundscape’ to help blind people navigate cities. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2014/nov/07/microsoft-headset-blind-3d-gps-guide-dogs

Week 2 Digital Cities

 

 

LIFE – Life First Emergency Traffic Control

This project by Catapult smart cities focuses on the medical emergency response. It has as an objective to reduce the time in which emergency vehicles take to reach the patient in threatening or critical conditions. This project combines both the transport system Catapult and the Future City Catapult to create and develop strategies that can allow them to achieve this aim.

 

Towsend states that the exodus of population in big cities is rapidly increasing and with an estimation of almost 6.5 billions of people moving to the big cities by 2050. This means that there will be more demands in different fields in order to keep the cities running and to ensure a thorough development in those cities. In the case of emergency response such as ambulances for example, this urban expansion as Towsend calls it means that the need to reach out to more patient will definitely become a challenge as the population grows. It is important to develop new strategies that will not just allow the patient in critical conditions to be reach out as quick as possible but also to create a system that will be consistent and productive while taking in consideration issues such as climate change.

 

With Miller’s concept of a databased environment, developing an advanced satellite navigation system will have an impact of how the ambulances will locate the patient addresses more accurately and therefore a lot more quicker. Miller states that directions and maps are created from a complex maze of digitised database of roads which will provide this service a wealth of useful information.

 

According to Towsend (2011), there is a better way to build smart cities than to simply call in the engineers. He states that a new batch of new civic leader will show a different way to the audience and the population. That is why he suggests that people need to empower themselves to build cities organically from the bottom up (page 18).

 

 

Bibliography

Catapult, F.C. (2017) Home – future cities catapult. Available at: http://futurecities.catapult.org.uk/ (Accessed: 13 Feb 2017)

 

Miller, V. (2011). Understanding Digital Culture. 1st ed. London: SAGE Publications, pp.12-45.

 

Townsend, A.M. (2013) Smart cities: Big data, civic hackers, and the quest for a new utopia. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.