Page 51 - Research & Innovation Report 2020

SCIENCE

has accelerated digitalisation, as those with the capacity to do The evidence from her interviews indicated that technologies
so harnessed the ability to work and learn remotely. This has related to IoT sensors, cloud solutions and fibre optic internet in
certain benefits, such as travel and accommodation cost savings, smart cities, if ubiquitous, are important for bridging the digital
which also contribute to our collective responsibility towards our divide across different communities. They also provide important
environments and carbon footprint.” access to data for the health sector, to improve security for citizens,
to improve access to traffic information and to engage with citizens.
Dr van der Hoogen’s research revealed how certain applications
can be designed for a specific function but the users then take it “The practical contribution of my study is the potential use of
to a different level. “For example, East London introduced an app the VASCS model by practitioners, city management, researchers
where the community could report power outages but they started and other stakeholders, who can use the model and template
using it to report every single problem,” she explains. for planning and evaluating smart city initiatives,” says Dr van
der Hoogen. “The model can be used to classify digital activities
In terms of successful smart city initiatives, there are several from according to a smart city’s success factors while evaluating the value
the automotive industries, where artificial intelligence and smart created by these activities. Smart cities can have a great impact but
solutions are part of the workplace; another example is Nelson they have to be steered by stakeholder involvement and involve all
Mandela University’s solar farm initiative. the stakeholders at every level.”

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