SCC-Planning: How Can Investments In Smart Cities Technologies Improve The Lives Of Low-Income, Inner-City Residents

新的“智慧城市”技术有望从根本上改变城市的形式和功能。免费公共Wi-Fi、物联网、自动驾驶汽车、网络课程、个人健康监测器和智能交通枢纽有可能从根本上改变交通、教育、公共卫生和经济发展的组织和交付方式。不幸的是，过去采用新技术往往造成所谓的“数字鸿沟”，加剧了收入和财富的差距。 免费接入互联网、更大的交通流动性和其他智慧城市技术在多大程度上可以增加机会、增强社会流动性和减轻数字鸿沟--特别是对穷人来说--是一个重要但尚未探索的研究问题。 为了了解智慧城市投资是否以及如何改善低收入居民的生活，项目团队将：与居民和企业主接触，评估低收入居民的需求;制定关于如何设计满足低收入居民需求的干预措施的技术研究计划;并制定关于智慧城市投资对低收入社区实际影响的综合研究计划。这一理解对于有效和公平地部署智慧城市技术至关重要。本项目将制定一项战略计划，以解决以下问题：对智慧城市技术的投资如何改善低收入城市居民的生活。 为了解决技术和社会科学问题，研究团队包括来自巴尔的摩地区五所大学的广泛的技术和社会科学家，智慧城市技术提供商团队，以及地方政府，社区协会和社区发展公司的领导人。规划过程将涉及这三个群体之间的广泛沟通：研究人员会议、技术提供者研讨会、与当地居民的社区参与活动，以及主要项目领导人参与所有这些活动。这项工作将为巴尔的摩西部的智慧城市投资制定替代战略;建立一个多学科研究人员网络，准备开展综合研究项目;设计一个共享的研究和数据基础设施;并在研究人员和社区利益相关者之间建立信任。

New "smart cities"technologies are poised to radically alter the form and function of cities. Free public Wi-Fi, the Internet of things, autonomous vehicles, web-based curricula, personal health monitors and smart transit hubs have the potential to radically change how transportation, education, public health, and economic development are organized and delivered. In the past, unfortunately, the adoption of new technologies has often created what is known as the "digital divide" and exacerbated disparities in income and wealth. The extent to which free access to the Internet, greater transit mobility, and other smart cities technologies can increase access to opportunity, enhance social mobility, and mitigate the digital divide-especially for the young-is an important yet unexplored research question. To understand whether and how smart cities investments can improve the lives of low-income residents the project team will: engage with residents and business owners to assess the needs of low-income residents; develop plans for technical research on how to design interventions that meet the needs of low-income residents; and develop plans for integrated research on what effects smart cities investments actually have on low-income communities. Such understanding is critical for the effective and equitable deployment of smart cities technologies.This project will develop a strategic plan for addressing the question: how can investments in smart cities technologies improve the lives of low-income, inner-city residents. To address both technological and social science questions the research team includes a broad array of technical and social scientists from five Baltimore-area universities, a team of smart city technology providers, and leaders of local governments, neighborhood associations, and community development corporations. The planning process will involve extensive communication between and among these three groups: meetings of researchers, workshops among technology providers, community engagement events with local residents, and participation in all these events by key project leaders. The effort will produce alternative strategies for smart cities investments in west Baltimore; a network of multidisciplinary researchers prepared to undertake integrated research projects; the design of a shared research and data infrastructure; and build trust between researchers and community stakeholders.