Project aims for wearable systems in people centred smart cities

The technology could allow the wearers themselves to become mobile sensors, improving pollution and traffic monitoring within cities, and helping to coordinate evacuations during major incidents or disasters.

The wearable sensors and electronics could also allow wearers to receive ultra-personalised entertainment, healthcare and shopping services as they travel through a city or building.

The project, which is being led by Prof Steve Beeby in the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at Southampton University, will develop the low-energy sensors and artificial intelligence needed to allow people’s clothing to communicate with smart city network systems.

“Most of the sensors that are used in smart cities are fixed, on lampposts for example, and there has been some work to put them on vehicles such as buses, but we are looking to put them on people, in something they can just put on and wear,” said Beeby.

The technology will offer a better distribution of sensors throughout a smart city, and could allow researchers to influence the density of information they receive, by offering incentives for wearers to visit particular areas, for example.