Algorithms Can Predict Future Disasters | Wired California is studded with a network of sensors that can perceive almost any motion in the ground, including the slightest perturbation of the Earth’s crust. The network began as a seismology research project, to track earthquakes in this fault-ridden part of the world. But as technologies developed, the network became more sophisticated, gathering far more data than ever before. Eventually, the science of earthquake observation reached a tipping point, and became the science of earthquake prediction.

Algorithms Can Predict Future Disasters | Wired

California is studded with a network of sensors that can perceive almost any motion in the ground, including the slightest perturbation of the Earth’s crust. The network began as a seismology research project, to track earthquakes in this fault-ridden part of the world. But as technologies developed, the network became more sophisticated, gathering far more data than ever before. Eventually, the science of earthquake observation reached a tipping point, and became the science of earthquake prediction.

Permalink

New Ventilation System Keeps Buildings Fresh But Warm | ThisBigCity Most natural ventilation systems introduce fresh air into sealed offices without difficulty in summer. But once temperatures drop below 15°C they are either switched off, or use heaters to warm the cold air – a solution which demands a lot of energy. Now, a Cambridge University spin-off, Breathing Buildings, thinks it has a better solution. It involves mixing the fresh (but cold) incoming winter air with the interior air. The latter is of course much warmer. Combining the two can produce air which is fresh, but does away with the cold draughts typical of many ventilation systems in winter.

New Ventilation System Keeps Buildings Fresh But Warm | ThisBigCity

Most natural ventilation systems introduce fresh air into sealed offices without difficulty in summer. But once temperatures drop below 15°C they are either switched off, or use heaters to warm the cold air – a solution which demands a lot of energy.

Now, a Cambridge University spin-off, Breathing Buildings, thinks it has a better solution. It involves mixing the fresh (but cold) incoming winter air with the interior air. The latter is of course much warmer. Combining the two can produce air which is fresh, but does away with the cold draughts typical of many ventilation systems in winter.

Permalink

Application development using IBM’s Smart Water SDK | SmarterWater Apple revolutionized the consumer world with their iPhone/iPad app store providing developers with access to the iOS platform and allowed them to build their own applications. Apple also provided an App Store where application developer could advertise and sell the applications. The Smarter Water platform now follows this model but instead of targeting customers, it targets a range of 3rd party water applications developers from research groups (including universities), services provider and partners, to developer their own smarter water applications.

Application development using IBM’s Smart Water SDK | SmarterWater

Apple revolutionized the consumer world with their iPhone/iPad app store providing developers with access to the iOS platform and allowed them to build their own applications. Apple also provided an App Store where application developer could advertise and sell the applications. The Smarter Water platform now follows this model but instead of targeting customers, it targets a range of 3rd party water applications developers from research groups (including universities), services provider and partners, to developer their own smarter water applications.

Permalink

When Governments Go Social, Positive Citizen Experiences Can Follow | A Smarter Planet Blog Today a growing number of cities and counties are embracing social technologies to create “Smart Communities.” According to the World Foundation for Smart Communities, these are communities that make a “conscious effort to use information technology to transform life and work within a region in significant and fundamental, rather than incremental, ways. This transformation is beneficial to the community and attracts local participation and cooperation among community groups, government, business and education.”

When Governments Go Social, Positive Citizen Experiences Can Follow | A Smarter Planet Blog

Today a growing number of cities and counties are embracing social technologies to create “Smart Communities.” According to the World Foundation for Smart Communities, these are communities that make a “conscious effort to use information technology to transform life and work within a region in significant and fundamental, rather than incremental, ways. This transformation is beneficial to the community and attracts local participation and cooperation among community groups, government, business and education.”

Permalink

A Smart Approach to Fixing Cities’ Problems | Harvard Business Review Corporations and small businesses use new technology and strong leadership to make their operations more successful, why not cities? This remarkable success story in South Bend, a city of 130,000, shows how strong leadership, next-generation technologies, and public-private collaboration can help make cities work a lot better, even at a time when public funds are in short supply. These days, cities are tremendous engines for innovation and economic growth. Young people, professionals, and empty-nesters are drawn to them in search of excitement, culture, and career opportunities. We have the potential to spark a true renaissance for cities, so they’re not just bigger — they’re better.

A Smart Approach to Fixing Cities’ Problems | Harvard Business Review

Corporations and small businesses use new technology and strong leadership to make their operations more successful, why not cities? This remarkable success story in South Bend, a city of 130,000, shows how strong leadership, next-generation technologies, and public-private collaboration can help make cities work a lot better, even at a time when public funds are in short supply. These days, cities are tremendous engines for innovation and economic growth. Young people, professionals, and empty-nesters are drawn to them in search of excitement, culture, and career opportunities. We have the potential to spark a true renaissance for cities, so they’re not just bigger — they’re better.

Permalink

Cities are finding useful ways of handling a torrent of data | The Economist Many cities around the country are accumulating data faster than they know what to do with. One approach is to give them to the public. For example, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago are or soon will be sharing the grades that health inspectors give to restaurants with an online restaurant directory.

Cities are finding useful ways of handling a torrent of data | The Economist

Many cities around the country are accumulating data faster than they know what to do with. One approach is to give them to the public. For example, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago are or soon will be sharing the grades that health inspectors give to restaurants with an online restaurant directory.

Permalink