The Manchester-based CityVerve project has been announced as the winner of a government-led technology competition, and plans to use the Internet of Things to revolutionise the city.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport named the CityVerve project as the winner of a £10million prize fund, which will see Manchester become the UK’s very first Internet of Things City Demonstrator.
Triumphing over 22 competing proposals representing 34 cities nationwide, the CityVerve project will use technology and services facilitated by the Internet of Things to improve healthcare, transport, and the environment within the city of Manchester, and to foster a more connected community.
Created by a diverse team from the academic, creative, and public sectors, the project will be based in the Manchester Corridor area and sets out to demonstrate how the Internet of Things can enhance city life.
One component is the establishment of a biometric sensor network, enabling local healthcare services to more effectively respond to the needs of patients with chronic respiratory conditions.
Environmental initiatives include the implementation of smart lighting throughout the city in order to encourage alternative modes of transport, further promoted by the creation of a bike-sharing network.
The CityVerve project is set to spearhead the rise of the Smart City concept throughout the UK, and will not only have a huge impact on the way we operate as a community, but also on the economy.
Indeed, the Internet of Things – and technology in general – continues to revolutionise the way we do business, with constant technological advancements forever expanding our online capabilities.
The rise of social media has given local businesses unprecedented access to a global customer base, whilst innovations in the virtual world afford companies a stronger online presence than ever before.
The Cloud, for example, facilitates crucial interconnectedness, whilst the realm of additional webspace has made it possible to cultivate not only a website, but a dynamic online hub.
In such a technologically fast-paced age, it is increasingly common for businesses to use providers such as 1&1 to ensure their website is sufficiently advanced, as unlimited storage, running multiple online projects, and integrating various web applications are all important towards maintaining a competitive website.
The CityVerve initiative, to be led by the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, has been well received in the city, with Manchester council leader Sir Richard Leese highly confident that the ‘imaginative use of smart technology can make a real positive difference to our people and businesses’.
