Sensing Lights: The Challenges of Transforming Street Lights into an Urban Intelligence Platform
Name
Sensing Lights The Challenges of Transforming Street Lights into an Urban Intelligence Platform.pdf
Description
Published version
Size
1.86 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
2a7bfb0fafecb1b514e4a03402928794
Author(s)
Alvarez, Ricardo
Duarte, Fabio
Frenchman, Dennis
Ratti, Carlo
Date Issued
August 22, 2022
Journal
Journal of Urban Technology
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Citation
Alvarez, R., Duarte, F., Frenchman, D., & Ratti, C. (2022). Sensing Lights: The Challenges of Transforming Street Lights into an Urban Intelligence Platform. Journal of Urban Technology, 29(4), 25–40.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
The technological transformation behind intelligent infrastructure systems requires institutional and stakeholder realignment in their development. In this article, we evaluate the challenges for the production of smart infrastructure through an in-depth analysis of the development of smart street lighting strategies. We conduct surveys and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and industry leaders in public illumination, as well with public officials from cities in three continents to understand the related challenges they face, the strategies being developed to meet those challenges, and reflect on the lessons provided for the design, creation, and operation of public smart infrastructure systems. We find that there are key barriers. First, differences in vision that reflect a lack of fit between operators of the current infrastructure and the new possibilities afforded by digital technologies. Second, lack of policies that would help facilitate the adoption of these new technologies particularly in regards to privacy and data operationalization. Third, difficulties in public engagement. These barriers to innovation hinder the capacity of cities to maximize the possibilities as well as the social value of intelligent street lights as a future-proof platform for urban knowledge and urban applications.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2022.2082825
