ITU: Smart Cities and the EPIC approach?

What are the main opportunities of Smart Cities and what is the EPIC approach?
As part of the paper, we look at how IoT can play a catalyst role in enabling Smart Cities.

Smart Cities aim to create “positive externalities,” i.e., a wide range of tangible and intangible benefits to improve the quality of life of its citizens, businesses, visitors and other stakeholders.

‘Because of technology, we can do things, but we have to ask ourselves: “Should we?”’

We developed the EPIC model, which marries quantitative and qualitative measures, to put forth four dimensions Smart Cities must consider to take advantage of IoT technologies.

“E” is “ethics.” This is very important. Because while thanks to technology we can do a lot, we have to ask: “Should we?” and make sure that we consider and factor in the implicit and explicit values that are integral to the collective well-being.

“P” is “profit.” If you want businesses to invest, there has to be a business case and associated rewards. However, profit here goes beyond economic incentives, it also includes “social profit”, i.e, the good done in and to the community (including environment protection), sometimes difficult to quantify but crucial for technology adoption.

RELATED: 5 lessons to improve mobility in cities
“I” is “intimacy.” We define intimacy as ease of access, mutual openness and a customized experience. This means no red tape, increased transparency and systems that meet people’s needs.

“C” is “connectivity.” Connectivity is about the overall technological foundation and has three parameters: the medium (how the data is transported), the computing (cloud, fog and edge), and the trustworthiness of the process (security, safety, privacy, reliability and resilience).

It will take time, but we believe the challenges will eventually be overcome, and, a little bit like electricity overhauled economy and society throughout the one hundred years following Edison’s light bulb patent, the Internet of things will radically transform our lives in a way that we can now barely begin to fathom.

Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ITU.