UK water utility implements advanced metering infrastructure

water meters UK

UK water utility Essex & Suffolk Water is working with digital technology provider Connexin to implement an Internet of Things (IoT) advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to manage the rollout of smart water meters. The agreement will see meters deployed across the Essex and Suffolk regions and it marks the third major smart water meter win for Connexin after Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water. Meter-as-a-service solution Connexin claims the IoT metering award is the largest of its kind in the UK water utility sector. The delivery of an end-to-end meter-as-a-service…

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How to create a smart rainforest

Daintree prales

NTT and ClimateForce are partnering to create what claims to be the world’s first smart rainforest using NTT’s Smart Management platform technology. The initiative aims to regenerate a section of Australia’s Daintree Rainforest and establish sustainable and cost-effective models for environmental restoration efforts around the world. Scalable and sustainable solutions ClimateForce is an Australian charity that seeks to accelerate scalable and sustainable solutions for organisations and daily life. It is aiming to regenerate a section of Australia’s Daintree Rainforest that had been razed for agriculture decades ago. The land, which…

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Innovation pilot to be tested on Tallinn government building

Tallinn City Government's main building

One of four winners of Tallinnovation 2023 will begin measuring the cross-section of the exterior facade of the Tallinn City Government’s main building (located at Vabaduse väljak 7) using muon scanners. According to City authorities, the technology has the potential to make future building renovations more environmentally sustainable and efficient. “Therefore, it’s crucial for the city of Tallinn to support the development of this technology by offering our facilities for testing,” said Tallinn City enterprise director, Kalle Killar. In another announcement, Tallinn City Government said it has approved an initiative…

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Singapore and Shenzhen strengthen smart city initiative

Singapur záliv

Projects relating to AI, digital solutions and talent are among those agreed as part of the city-state and Chinese city’s joint smart city initiative. Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have inked eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with key partners from the Chinese city of Shenzhen and launched 14 new joint smart city-related projects. They were announced at the 4th Singapore-China (Shenzhen) Smart City Initiative (SCI) Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) meeting. Smart city collaboration Eight MoUs were signed at the sidelines of the…

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Smart city in Georgia pilots robot underground delivery

podzemní autonomní robotický doručovací systém Pipedream

Peachtree Corners – one of the nation’s first smart cities powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G – today launched the world’s first below-ground autonomous robot delivery system with Pipedream, the underground logistics network that is revolutionizing the way goods are delivered. The new delivery system is bringing consumers unprecedented convenience through faster, autonomous, efficient and cost-effective transportation channels. Peachtree Corners is the first city to launch and install the underground logistics solution, helping in the shared mission to eliminate emissions and congestion issues that plague current delivery infrastructure. The…

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Milton Keynes trials Aurrigo autonomous shuttle

Aurrigo self-driving shuttle

Aurrigo International is trialling its autonomous auto-shuttle vehicle on a city centre loop in the UK city of Milton Keynes. It will connect Santander’s new UK HQ at Unity Place with centre:mk, the Theatre District and Station Square. Aurrigo first deployed its four-seater driverless pods in the city nine years ago. The testing forms part of the LivingLAPT project that is funded by EIT Urban Mobility and led by University College London (UCL). Europe-wide autonomous trials The Europe-wide research trials have already been operating in Prague and Brno in the…

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Seoul deploys multilingual interactive translation kiosks

interactive multilingual translation service kiosks

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is rolling out the country’s first interactive multilingual translation service kiosks. The kiosks will be located at tourist information centres and aim to promote city tourism by eradicating any language barriers. AI-powered translation service The service has been developed in collaboration with the tourism startup and language data specialist Flitto to enable international tourists to converse with Korean guides in their native languages. SMG hopes it will enhance the convenience of tourists to explore Seoul. Using the translation kiosk, people can talk in real-time in…

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Neom announces investments in future land and sea travel

Neom Regent coast

Neom, the smart, regional greenfield development being built in Saudi Arabia, which includes The Line smart city, has announced investments in both autonomous vehicles and electric sea gliders. It will invest $100m through the Neom Investment Fund (NIF), into Pony.ai, a global autonomous driving company. Additionally, a joint venture will be established for autonomous technology solutions for the region. NIF has also closed an investment into Regent, the US-based electric seaglider manufacturer. It makes Neom the largest single contributor in Regent’s series A round, enabling the company to take its…

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Hundreds of cities to deploy metaverse technology by 2030

metaverse city

Almost 700 cities will have deployed some form of metaverse infrastructure by 2030, according to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research. In many cases, the technology will be used as an extension of existing urban digital twin platforms and solutions. City governments and the metaverse The research company said benefits for city governments include gaining political capital through enhanced citizen engagement and participation and significant cost-savings related to smarter and more effective urban infrastructure design, operations, and maintenance. “Though metaverse is undeniably overhyped and steeped in vagueness, the urban context…

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EHang gains world-first eVTOL certification in China

EHang EH216-S Type Certification

Urban air mobility (UAM) technology platform company EHang Holdings has announced it has received the Civil Aviation Administration of China’s type certificate (TC) for its EH216-S passenger-carrying unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. The TC demonstrates that the model design fully complies with CAAC’s safety standards and airworthiness requirements, and that the EH216-S is qualified for conducting passenger-carrying UAV commercial operations. Unmanned electric vertical take-off The CAAC formally accepted EHang’s EH216-S TC application in January 2021 and EHang claims it has obtained the world’s first TC for unmanned electric vertical take-off…

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SmartCow launches edge AI camera for smart city applications

Sphinx Ruggedized AI camera with 5G connectivity and real-time analytics

AI engineering company SmartCow has announced the launch of Sphinx, an edge AI camera with 5G connectivity, aimed at smart city and smart traffic deployments. Sphinx is a self-contained, ruggedised AI camera featuring dual image sensors that deliver low-light performance and built-in infrared (IR) illumination. According to SmartCow, the camera offers a reliable solution for AI applications, including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), public safety, and intelligent traffic management systems (ITMS). Challenging environments Its open modular connector enables operators to enhance their capabilities by integrating external sensors, such as air-quality…

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Seoul launches multilingual version of its metaverse

Metaverse Seoul

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also plans to launch a PC as well as a smartphone app version of Metaverse Seoul and use it for IT education for citizens. Seoul’s metaverse platform has been made available in multilingual versions (English, Chinese, and Japanese) to allow those who do not speak Korean to benefit from the service. Metaverse Seoul has constantly updated features and added content since its launch in January this year. Users of Metaverse Seoul can use the international version based on the language information saved in their smartphone without…

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Thailand claims world’s largest factory rooftop solar project

Amata City Rayong industrial park

Kansai Electric Power, Japan’s second largest electricity supplier, is creating what it claims to be the world’s biggest standalone rooftop solar panel installation on a factory in Thailand’s high-tech Eastern Economic Corridor. The solar panels on the plant, which manufactures Falken tyres for the European market, are reportedly equivalent in size to more than 18 football pitches. It is located in the Amata City Rayong industrial park, 135km southwest of Bangkok. Thailand is bidding to become the leader in clean energy in Southeast Asia and, once complete, this project will…

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Dubai economic zone implements smart pedestrian systems

AI-powered smart pedestrian crossings

The Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) economic zone has implemented 14 AI smart pedestrian crossing systems. The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (Diez) is collaborating with Derq, a developer of artificial intelligence (AI) analytics solutions for road safety and traffic management on the project. Artificial intelligence platform Derq’s Real-Time Perception and Connectivity AI Platform is designed to detect pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users (VRUs). The system, a first-of-its-kind in the region, integrates with road infrastructure to enhance safety measures. Using patented behaviour prediction models, the technology can proactively activate…

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Singapore announces winners of GreenTech Challenge 2023

GreenTech Challenge 2023

The challenge is designed to accelerate the development of innovative sustainability solutions in Singapore and help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Tools that help organisations identify and transition to renewable energy, create and sell carbon credits and track sustainability have been named as the winners of the Singapore GreenTech Challenge 2023. The context is a collaboration between Microsoft, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and the tech community SGTech. Sustainability solutions Each winner will receive up to $350,000 in benefits and will be onboarded to the Microsoft Independent Software Vendor…

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