Inclusivity in the Era of Smart Cities: Building Connected Communities for Everyone
The vision of a smart city promises a future of connected communities, sustainable infrastructures, and most importantly, improved quality of life for its citizens. Yet, a glaring oversight looms large in this futuristic landscape - the inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities.
Understanding Smart Cities and the Role of Inclusivity
At their core, smart cities are not merely a collection of automated traffic lights or energy-efficient buildings. They are dynamic ecosystems powered by Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Information Communication Technology (ICT), and sophisticated data analytics. These interconnected devices collect and wirelessly transmit data to cloud-based applications that analyze and manage this information. This seamless blend of technology and urban infrastructure has the potential to revolutionize the way we live.
However, while many of us effortlessly navigate this rapidly digitizing world via apps on our phones, a significant demographic is often left behind. People with disabilities, who could greatly benefit from these smart technologies, find themselves excluded due to inaccessible designs and implementations.
Despite the rapid advancements in smart city technologies, there is a concerning dearth of research that delves into its implications for citizens with disabilities. The challenge? Ensuring that the promise of smart cities is an inclusive one.
The Quadruple Helix Model: A Holistic Approach to Inclusive Smart Cities
To understand the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within this realm, our study employs the Quadruple Helix Model. This conceptual framework encompasses four primary sectors:
Citizens - The heart of every city. Their needs, challenges, and interactions with urban tech shape the true essence of smart cities.
Industry - The innovators who design, develop, and implement the smart technologies that power these cities.
University - The knowledge hubs that drive research, development, and innovation in urban tech.
Government - The regulators and facilitators, ensuring that technological advancements align with public welfare.
Our research is anchored around pivotal questions:
How do people with disabilities engage in their cities?
What are the issues they encounter when engaging in city activities?
How do city governments engage citizens with disabilities in their development and procurement of smart technologies?
How do business and universities developing and procuring smart technologies engage citizens with disabilities in their development and procurement of smart technologies?
How could smart technologies be developed to ensure they consider the needs of people with disabilities living in smart cities?
Stay Tuned for More Insights
I am thrilled to announce that this research has been published in European Journal of Information Systems, a distinguished journal within the highly selective “Basket of Eight” esteemed by the Information Systems Community. For a detailed exploration of our findings and their implications for both theory and practice in inclusive smart cities, I invite you to read the full paper. Your insights and citations are greatly appreciated as we continue to foster collaborative progress in this dynamic field.
