According to the United Nations, the global urban population has exploded from 750 million people in 1950 to over four billion in 2018. North America is the most urbanized region of the world with 82 per cent of its population living in urban areas today. With this exponential growth comes a number of challenges that include changing traffic patterns, potential mobility problems, evolving safety concerns, and emerging environmental issues.

Yesterday’s announcement of BB&T’s $28 billion acquisition of SunTrust represents the first major banking merger since the financial crisis. While newsworthy in its own right, the multi-faceted strategy behind the acquisition is worth a second look. First, regional banks are being forced to reconsider how they compete with national banks like JPMC. What’s interesting is that digital experiences are what’s driving much of the share gain by the larger, national lenders. Consider that the press release used the words “digital,” “innovation” and technology more than a dozen times!

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) continue to be a significant problem in healthcare facilities throughout the world. A 2014 CDC study estimated that at any given time, one out of every 25 patients in acute care in the U.S. was afflicted with an HAI, and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that seven out of every 100 patients hospitalized in a developed country will acquire at least one HAI.

3 Takeaways from CES 2019

Checking out the latest and greatest innovations and technologies is always energizing, and CES 2019 did not disappoint. I had the chance to hear from leaders in the smart building and smart cities technology space, both on the CES floor and at the board meeting for the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), which lined up with CES. Attending both gave me plenty to think about as we move into 2019.

Here are the three biggest themes that stuck with me:

Internet of Things (IoT) technology is finally giving cities what they need to become truly smart.

The key is reliable, dense data, along with a data culture which encourages city staff to break down the internal silos and engage external developers to create tools and services that make a difference to citizens’ lives.

Cities face many competing challenges and demands. Here’s how to prioritise and create a manageable roadmap that delivers results.

In 2017, the government of Canada issued a challenge to communities across the country: Tell us how you would improve the lives of citizens if you were a smart city. A panel of 13 judges sifted through the hundreds of submissions to identify 20 finalists. Despite their varying sizes and populations of the final cities—the competition is divided into three categories based on population—a few common themes emerged.

Empowerment and Inclusion

There is a café in my neighborhood that I used to go to almost every day. It is all-vegetarian (a plus for me), boasts lots of local ingredients, and serves great coffee. It has a relaxed feel that I found to be a nice change of pace; I used to do work there from time to time, especially when thinking through something strategic or creative. But the employees were never very friendly to me. It has a kind of “cool” vibe, and I always felt like my corporate attire made me stick out like a sore thumb.

On this episode of IoT Time Podcast, Ken Briodagh, editorial director at IoT Evolution, sits down with Austin Ashe, GM, Intelligent Cities, Current by GE, to talk about Smart Cities, IoT technology, and the future of humankind.

This episode is sponsored by the IoT Evolution Expo, taking place Jan 29 to Feb 1, 2019 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Earlier this week, Mayor Ted Wheeler marked the first major milestone for Portland’s Smart City PDX initiative with the launch of the city’s new Traffic Safety Sensor Project. Two hundred CityIQTM intelligent sensor nodes are being installed atop PGE streetlights along three of Portland’s deadliest streets – SE Division, 122nd Avenue and SE Hawthorne Blvd. Traffic engineers with the Portland Bureau of Transportation will use the real-time data about how vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians move to improve street design and support Portland’s Vision Zero traffic safety goals.