Initiative with Cisco lays ground for possible extension of IoT technology across the city
Newcastle’s ‘smart street’ is set to go live before the end of the month, acting as a demonstrator for the potential of the internet of things (IoT) within the city.
Cisco Networks, which is leading the project supported by Newcastle City Council, said it will run in Mosley Street and the connecting Neville Street from 22 June to 9 September as part of the Great Exhibition of the North.
It will involve the installation of sensors and taking in live and historic data from several sources, including Newcastle University’s Urban Observatory, and enable visitors to experience a number of applications of smart city technology. These will be available at the smart street installation or through data displayed on screens throughout the city and integrated with the exhibition wayfinding app.
All of the applications will run on the Cisco Kinetic for Cities platform. The other technology companies involved are delivery partner Connexin, which is designing and building the smart infrastructure; Qauntela providing its Atlantis data analytics platform; and Mayflower, whose central management system will control the streetlighting.
Going further
Newcastle City Council has indicated it hopes to take the development of smart place applications further after the event. Its director of place, Tom Warburton, recently told UKAuthority it will investigate the potential to extend the technology around the city, and that Cisco has been talking with its LED lighting provider SSE about how the systems can talk to each other.
Commenting on Cisco’s announcement, the council’s leader, Councillor Nick Forbes, said: “The fact that the world’s largest networking company has selected our city for such a pioneering venture puts us firmly at the heart of modern Britain.
“It is also testament to Newcastle’s growing skills base in digital technology and data analytics, and an example of our commitment to use innovation to help make people’s lives better.”
Newcastle is part of Cisco's Lighthouse City programme, a global initiative designed to deploy next generation technologies to impact citizens and society.
Image by 96tommy, CC BY 2.0
