You may have read about the latest installation of parking sensors being rolled out across the city of Westminster council in London from next week.
It reminds me of the time I attended Cisco’s Internet of Things (IoT) World Forum in Barcelona last November, which discussed IoT-related projects in government, culture, transport and technology.
The highlight of the event was tour of the city, which is currently being transformed into a smart city. I was struck by the level of fixed and mobile sensors on buses, bins, lamp posts and buildings across the city, which measure pollution, noise, temperature and traffic flows.
The sensors can dim lamp posts when no one is on the street at night, but turn them on when cars or pedestrians pass. They’re helping citizens use transportation more effectively, while bin management is becoming more efficient as sensors monitor the level of waste and collect rubbish only when necessary.
Cisco is so excited about the prospects that they predict the market to generate $14 trillion in profits over the next decade.
I’m also quite excited and learning more about some of the future possibilities that could help me become a better person. I do get quite distracted at the best of times. If there were sensors embedded into everyday objects that could sense my inactivity for the task at hand, I’d use it. Let’s say, I’m sitting down watching the TV or daydreaming for hours, despite my goal to do exercise everyday, a text message from my couch, television or even some part of my brain would be very helpful.
I’d be interested to know if there are any sensors for that yet.
