How Cell Phones Will Control Our Future Cities
Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this interview.
When urban planners look towards the future, they envision a vast landscape of "smart cities" powered by a highly technological and integrated, more efficient connected environment. Constantine Kontokosta, a professor of urban informatics and head of the Quantified Community Research Lab at NYU's Center for Urban Science and Progress, sat down with John Hockenberry to discuss the advantages of smart cities, and what could emerge in the coming decades.
Kontokosta says that because phones are so ubiquitous, they will play a major role in the smart cities of the future. An app will control everything — from letting the A/C know when to turn on, to enabling keyless access in buildings. Phones will also enable deep data collection about residents' lives, increasing efficiency and safety, and giving architects a better understanding of how people engage with the environment.
Hudson Yards, a massive development project in New York City, is working towards this reality with a unique system that will attempt to fully integrate security, safety, and user-based systems together. By building residential, commercial, and educational spaces, Hudson Yards hopes to create an all-encompassing development in the heart of New York.
Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear our full interview with Kontokosta.
