A CityTree? Yes please!

If you are interested in future trends and innovations, Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is the place to be right now. And as one of the most trending and important topics, smart cities can’t be missing. At our booth, it’s all about sustainability and citizen-friendly digital services. 

Air Quality is a topic discussed intensively across Europe. And while banning cars may or may not help, a solution that definitely increases the quality of the air without threatening commuters and families to leave their beloved car behind is a so-called CityTree by the startup Green City Solutions. The moss growing on its surface builds a biological air filter. The moss basically lives on the dust particles and nitrogen oxides that we blow into the air. The maximum output is just under 700,000 m3 of air per day and is comparable to the air volume of 180 hot-air balloons. With IoT technology the water and nutrient supply is automatically regulated, and the sensors provide comprehensive information on the environmental performance and status of the CityTree. And not only this, the city tree can be used as hotspot and improve the overall coverage within the city. So this is definitely a cool place to chill, isn’t it?  

Intelligent traffic control is another one of my favorites, spending hours in traffic jams each week to commute to work. Deutsche Telekom’s T-Labs are developing and testing an AI-based solution that measures and analyzes urban traffic flow and provides recommendations for traffic light control. In a pilot project at Ernst-Reuter-Platz in Berlin, the traffic could be reduced by 20%! Imagine what we could do with the additional free time if we could reduce the overall time we spend trapped in our cars.

And last but not least, another innovation that can have a great impact on citizens is the smart city app. Who doesn’t know the endless queues and processes in public administration. Just think about the time it takes to register in a new city or get a new passport. With the smart city app, all these processes can be digitized. And it offers much more opportunities, for example it could be granting access to the library, bike sharing, swimming pools and other public services. Ultimately, it can also encourage participation of citizens in decision making processes and offer the opportunity to provide direct feedback to city officials. 

Let’s make our cities greener and more livable places! #takepart