Smart Places and the SHAPE-UK project

Smart places have been a point of focus for a number of years, with the rise in IoT technologies and availability of connectivity, there’s a lot of buzz around the art of the possible. 

A range of cities have benefited from point solutions to solve single problems, but after all this time no one single city stands out as somewhere where a step change has been seen towards being fully ‘smart’.

Smart places are made up of intersections, systems of systems that work together to holistically solve problems. To make these places possible and purposeful we must integrate IoT, data and connectivity. For data to interoperate and become more than the sum of its parts, sharing is critical to unlocking the value needed to deliver services to the levels expected by citizens and address needs of systemic issues such as climate change.

Lots of different people contribute to smart places and the end goal isn’t necessarily defined. That’s why cooperation in an open world approach is key. Contributors know and own some things and by sharing their data and making it findable, others can fill in the gaps. 

Portsmouth International Port as a smart place

IOTICS enabled multiple parties centred around Portsmouth International port to exchange selective data securely. In order for the players in the smart place to cooperate, a shared approach had to be used. 

Smart places can fulfil a number of needs including smart EV charging and connected vehicles by streamlining operations using the digital twin ecosystem technology. The port can exchange data with the boats in order to manage the refuelling process and optimise the process. 

Smart places are also playing a key part in environmental solutions. They can address needs such as waste and water management and monitor the local environment. In Portsmouth, the sensors that had been deployed picked up on an unexpected source of poor air quality. 

Unlock the full potential of data by removing the obstacles of data silos and create digital ecosystems to develop and implement digital innovations. You and your partners could have the ability to selectively and securely share data at scale. There is a rapidly growing movement of smart places that are more than just the sum of their parts and build meaningful data sharing ecosystems. Contact a member of our team today and discover how you can get more from your data.