HOW OPEN DATA MAKES URBAN LIFE SMARTER
The idea of sustainable urban planning is usually connected to images of green areas, efficient public transportation and futuristic buildings. But it is the information and telecommunications infrastructure that determines the city’s ability to face the many challenges of creating a livable, prosperous and future-safe development. Computer scientist Ina Schieferdecker is currently the Head of the Com-petence Center for Modeling and Testing (MOTION) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) in Berlin. FOKUS explores how information and communication technologies contribute to a more comfortable and secure living environment. MOTION develops solutions inspired by different topics, such as the future of the Internet, the medical technologies of tomorrow, and the programme ICT for Smart Cities, aimed at not only helping local government authorities share information with citizens, but also helping businesses and organisations to innovate novel urban processes and develop new services.