Smart Cities and Communities

How do we advance data-driven technologies in cities and communities while protecting privacy, data and citizen's rights?

Smart Cities and Communities

How do we advance data-driven technologies in cities and communities while protecting privacy, data and citizen's rights?

Smart Cities and Communities

How do we advance data-driven technologies in cities and communities while protecting privacy, data and citizen's rights?

"WAFAR provided a unique opportunity to create new knowledge and funded, at-scale, community deployment of this know-how. WAFAR funding accelerated our plans to bridge proof-of-concept engineering to community validation while massively augmenting our outreach and impact."

-Ayan Sadhu

Cities Are Changing

Extreme weather events, warmer temperatures, and population growth are piling pressure on public services and accelerating the deterioration of infrastructure. Smart city technologies could revolutionize how cities approach urban planning and sustainability; however, these algorithmically driven solutions raise critical questions about surveillance, privacy, and social inclusion.

Challenge

Smart Cities provide a sensor-embedded way for city planners and policy-makers to collect and make data-based decisions with up-to-date, accurate information. While cities like New York and Seoul implement data-sharing, sensors, cameras and connected devices, this presents risks and challenges to people, that require novel mitigation strategies.

Impacts

State-of-the art data-to-decision tool created to change the future of cities
Self-automation & sensing technologies discovered for urban environments
“Smart City Engineering” undergraduate program established with partners in industry, government, engineering, ethics, information studies and law
Nationally recognized, community-informed blueprint developed for ethical, technologically-driven Smart Cities
Key partnerships established with the City of London, Ministry of Transportation, Conservation Authorities, Canada Masonry Design Centre and industry

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Team Members

Ayan Sadhu | Lead

(Civil & Environmental Engineering, Western University)

Faculty Biography

Abdallah Shami

(Electrical & Computer Engineering, Western University)

Faculty Website

Anabel Quan-Haase

(Faculty of Information & Media Studies, Western University)

Faculty Website

Jalel Ben-Othman

(Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, France)

Katharine Willis

(University of Plymouth, UK)

Mathematics of Neural Networks Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Buildings Nature-Inspired Solutions for Carbon Transformation Smart Cities and Communities Exploring Possibilities for Peace Arctic Sovereignty

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