Sensing lights : transforming street lights into a networked urban knowledge platform
Name
1193559896-MIT.pdf
Size
3.17 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
e805619c7f1b840c4fd098b31a34bd10
Author(s)
Álvarez Félix, Jesús Ricardo.
Advisor(s)
Dennis Frenchman.
Alternative Title
Transforming street lights into a networked urban knowledge platform
Date Issued
2020
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This work is subdivided into three academic papers that together form a coherent exploration of the phenomena of intelligent street lights and their potential applications as a new type of digital urban infrastructure. In the first paper, I review existing cases of cities that are digitizing their public lighting infrastructure. I analyze their various approaches to smart lighting and then propose a framework by which we can maximize their potential uses. For the second paper, I perform an urban demonstration that pairs street lights with a prototype intelligent, networked digital imaging and computer vision platform, in order to monitor the utilization of curbside space, currently utilized for parking in cities, which serves as an example of how to develop interoperability between different urban infrastructure systems. For the third paper, I investigate the policy dimensions of implementing such a system, including the concerns raised by industry leaders and city officials, as street lights become multi-functional sources of urban data, and the dilemma this may pose for existing institutional arrangements and stakeholder's networks. Seeking to maximize social benefits I conclude by proposing a series of recommendations aimed at hybridizing functions of public lighting and real-time sensing of the built environment in cities, for the creation of a range of new urban experiences and civic benefits across a variety of use cases for cities.
Description
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, May, 2020
Cataloged from the official PDF of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references.
Subjects
Urban Studies and Planning.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.
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