Digital collaborations and entrepreneurship – the role of shareconomy and crowdsourcing in the era of smart city

The thesis begins with the classical cooperation and transfers it to the digital world. This work gives a detailed overview of the young fields of research smart city, shareconomy and crowdsourcing and links these fields with entrepreneurship. The core research aim is the finding of connections between the research fields smart city, shareconomy and crowdsourcing and entrepreneurial activities and the specific fields of application, success factors and conditions for entrepreneurs. The thesis consists of seven peer-reviewed publications. Based on primary and secondary data, the existence of entrepreneurial opportunities in the fields of smart city, shareconomy and crowdsourcing could be confirmed. The first part (publications 1-3) of the thesis are literature reviews to secure the fundamental base for further research. This part consists of newly created definitions and an extreme sharpening of the research fields for the near future. In the second part of the thesis (publications 4-7), empirical field work (in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs) and quantitative analyses (fuzzy set/qualitative comparative analysis and binary logistic regression analysis) contribute to the field of research with additional new insights. Summarizing, the insights are multi-layered: theoretical (e.g. new definitions, sharpening of the research field), methodical (e.g. first time application of the fuzzy set/qualitative comparative analysis in the field of crowdfunding) and qualitative (first time application of in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs in the fields of smart city and shareconomy). The global research question could be answered: the link between entrepreneurship and smart city, shareconomy and crowdfunding could be confirmed, concrete fields of application could be identified and further developments could be touched upon. This work strongly contributes to the young fields of research through much-needed basic work, new qualitative approaches, innovative methods and new insights and offers opportunities for discussion, criticism and support for further research.

The Birmingham Urban Climate Laboratory: an open meteorological test bed and challenges of the smart city

Existing urban meteorological networks have an important role to play as test beds for inexpensive and more sustainable measurement techniques that are now becoming possible in our increasingly smart cities. The Birmingham Urban Climate Laboratory (BUCL) is a near-real-time, high-resolution urban meteorological network (UMN) of automatic weather stations and inexpensive, nonstandard air temperature sensors. The network has recently been implemented with an initial focus on monitoring urban heat, infrastructure, and health applications. A number of UMNs exist worldwide; however, BUCL is novel in its density, the low-cost nature of the sensors, and the use of proprietary Wi-Fi networks. This paper provides an overview of the logistical aspects of implementing a UMN test bed at such a density, including selecting appropriate urban sites; testing and calibrating low-cost, nonstandard equipment; implementing strict quality-assurance/quality-control mechanisms (including metadata); and utilizing preexisting Wi-Fi networks to transmit data. Also included are visualizations of data collected by the network, including data from the July 2013 U.K. heatwave as well as highlighting potential applications. The paper is an open invitation to use the facility as a test bed for evaluating models and/or other nonstandard observation techniques such as those generated via crowdsourcing techniques.

Public libraries and the right to the [smart] city

The future of public libraries has been threatened by funding cuts and new digital technologies which have led many people to question their traditional role and purpose. However, freedom of information, ready access to knowledge and information literacy in all its digital and analog guises are more important than ever. Thus, public libraries remain significant spaces and places where people can socially interact and learn. In many countries public libraries are reinventing themselves and part of this process has been the redesign of library services and the design and construction of new library building and facilities that articulate the values, purpose and role of what has been termed 'the next library'. Following discussion of new library developments in London, Birmingham and Worcester in the UK, Aarhus in Denmark and Helsinki in Finland, the article concludes that public libraries are now both social and media spaces as well as being important physical places that can help city dwellers decide what type of urban world they want to see.

The Open Data Smart City: A Case Study of Smart City Progress through Open Data Initiatives

Smart cities, cities that are supported by an extensive digital infrastructure of sensors, databases and intelligent applications, have become a major area of academic, governmental and public interest. Simultaneously, there has been a growing interest in open data, the unrestricted use of organizational data for public viewing and use. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies (STS), Urban Studies and Political Economy, this thesis examines how digital processes, open data and the physical world can be combined in smart city development, through the qualitative interview-based case study of a Southern Ontario Municipality, Anytown. The thesis asks what are the challenges associated with smart city development and open data proliferation, is open data complimentary to smart urban development; and how is expertise constructed in these fields? The thesis concludes that smart city development in Anytown is a complex process, involving a variety of visions, programs and components. Although smart city and open data initiatives exist in Anytown, and some are even overlapping and complementary, smart city development is in its infancy. However, expert informants remained optimistic, faithful to a technologically sublime vision of what a smart city would bring. The thesis also questions the notion of expertise within the context of smart city and open data projects, concluding that assertions of expertise need to be treated with caution and scepticism when considering how knowledge is received, generated, interpreted and circulates, within organizations.

Smart city. O futuro já acontece

Águeda recebeu formalmente no passado mês de Março o Selo de SMART CITY assim como o prémio de inovação no que ao apoio á internacionalização das suas empresas diz respeito e ao empreendedorismo que sempre demostrou neste processo de desenvolvimento sustentável que já decorre no concelho á alguns anos. Mais do que uma SMART CITY, Águeda quer ser uma HUMAN SMART CITY onde a tecnologia é utilizada para servir as pessoas. Os pilares principais deste projeto assentam: • Governação • Mobilidade / Acessibilidades • Desenvolvimento Económico • Imagem de Marca • Ambiente / Sustentabilidade • Inovação

Análise do impacto de sistemas fotovoltaicos conectados à rede de distribuição na qualidade da energia de uma smart city: Análise do impacto de sistemas fotovoltaicos conectados à rede de distribuição na qualidade da energia de uma smart city

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Scheduling application-aware in piattaforme di stream processing distribuito per scenari smart city

In piattaforme di Stream Processing è spesso necessario eseguire elaborazioni differenziate degli stream di input. Questa tesi ha l'obiettivo di realizzare uno scheduler in grado di attribuire priorità di esecuzione differenti agli operatori deputati all'elaborazione degli stream.

Distributed Smart City Services for Urban Ecosystems

A Smart City is a high-performance urban context, where citizens live independently and are more aware of the surrounding opportunities, thanks to forward-looking development of economy politics, governance, mobility and environment. ICT infrastructures play a key-role in this new research field being also a mean for society to allow new ideas to prosper and new, more efficient approaches to be developed. The aim of this work is to research and develop novel solutions, here called smart services, in order to solve several upcoming problems and known issues in urban areas and more in general in the modern society context. A specific focus is posed on smart governance and on privacy issues which have been arisen in the cellular age.

Impatto delle tecnologie Smart City sulla città di Cesena

La presente tesi ha lo scopo di censire e classificare le principali attività di Cesena come Smart City, con particolare riguardo a quelle che hanno una componente tecnologica predominante. La tesi presenta le definizioni concetto di Smart City e le diverse articolazioni in ambiti che questo prevede. Scelta come chiave di lettura la classificazione più utilizzata in ambito internazionale, sono stati approfonditi i sei ambiti di azione in cui questa si articola: Smart Economy, Smart People, Smart Governance, Smart Mobility, Smart Enviroment, Smart Living. Inoltre, la tesi presenta le principali metodologie di valutazione utilizzate per comparare la smartness delle città, in contesto italiano ed europeo, nonché i criteri con cui queste valutazioni sono state applicate. Nel testo viene dato rilievo agli aspetti più legati alle nuove tecnologie ICT, viste come sostegno ed accelerante nei progetti attuati verso la smartness.

Smart City e Analisi di Big Data da Tracce Vodafone di Dispositivi Mobili

I dispositivi mobili, dagli smartphone ai tablet, sono entrati a far parte della nostra quotidianità. Controllando l’infrastruttura delle comunicazioni, rispetto a qualsiasi altro settore, si ha un maggiore accesso a informazioni relative alla geo-localizzazione degli utenti e alle loro interazioni. Questa grande mole di informazioni può aiutare a costruire città intelligenti e sostenibili, che significa modernizzare ed innovare le infrastrutture, migliorare la qualità della vita e soddisfare le esigenze di cittadini, imprese e istituzioni. Vodafone offre soluzioni concrete nel campo dell’info-mobilità consentendo la trasformazione delle nostre città in Smart City. Obiettivo della tesi e del progetto Proactive è cercare di sviluppare strumenti che, a partire da dati provenienti dalla rete mobile Vodafone, consentano di ricavare e di rappresentare su cartografia dati indicanti la presenza dei cittadini in determinati punti d’interesse, il profilo di traffico di determinati segmenti viari e le matrici origine/destinazione. Per fare questo verranno prima raccolti e filtrati i dati della città di Milano e della regione Lombardia provenienti dalla rete mobile Vodafone per poi, in un secondo momento, sviluppare degli algoritmi e delle procedure in PL/SQL che siano in grado di ricevere questo tipo di dato, di analizzarlo ed elaborarlo restituendo i risultati prestabiliti. Questi risultati saranno poi rappresentati su cartografia grazie a QGis e grazie ad una Dashboard aziendale interna di Vodafone. Lo sviluppo delle procedure e la rappresentazione cartografica dei risultati verranno eseguite in ambiente di Test e se i risultati soddisferanno i requisiti di progetto verrà effettuato il porting in ambiente di produzione. Grazie a questo tipo di soluzioni, che forniscono dati in modalità anonima e aggregata in ottemperanza alle normative di privacy, le aziende di trasporto pubblico, ad esempio, potranno essere in grado di gestire il traffico in modo più efficiente.

HMD - Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik - Smart City

Der Begriff Smart City oder Ubiquitous City bezeichnet die Nutzung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien in Städten und Agglomerationen, um den sozialen und ökologischen Lebensraum nachhaltig zu entwickeln. Dazu zählen z.B. Projekte zur Verbesserung der Mobilität, Nutzung intelligenter Systeme für Wasser- und Energieversorgung, Förderung sozialer Netzwerke, Erweiterung politischer Partizipation, Ausbau von Entrepreneurship, Schutz der Umwelt sowie Erhöhung von Sicherheit und Lebensqualität. Das Themenheft widmet sich der Vielfalt dieser webbasierten Entwicklungen und berichtet über erste Erfahrungen von Pionierprojekten aus den folgenden Anwendungsfeldern: Smart Mobility, Smart Energy, Smart Economy, Smart Environment, Smart Governance, Smart Participation und Smart Living. Das Heft soll dazu dienen, den State of the Art der intelligenten Nutzung von Webtechnologien für den urbanen Raum aufzuzeigen, um damit Chancen und Risiken aufzudecken.

SMArc: a proposal for a smart, semantic middleware architecture focused on Smart City energy management

Among the main features that are intended to become part of what can be expected from the Smart City, one of them should be an improved energy management system, in order to benefit from a healthier relation with the environment, minimize energy expenses, and offer dynamic market opportunities. A Smart Grid seems like a very suitable infrastructure for this objective, as it guarantees a two-way information flow that will provide the means for energy management enhancement. However, to obtain all the required information, another entity must care about all the devices required to gather the data. What is more, this entity must consider the lifespan of the devices within the Smart Grid—when they are turned on and off or when new appliances are added—along with the services that devices are able to provide. This paper puts forward SMArc—an acronym for semantic middleware architecture—as a middleware proposal for the Smart Grid, so as to process the collected data and use it to insulate applications from the complexity of the metering facilities and guarantee that any change that may happen at these lower levels will be updated for future actions in the system.