IBM predicts move towards smart cities
IBM predicts cities will alter dramatically in five years
The way people in cities live, work and play could change dramatically in the next five to ten years, IBM has predicted.
According to the firm, "unprecedented" levels of urbanisation are expected over the coming years, with an estimated 60 million people moving to urban areas annually. In order to cope with this, cities across the globe will need to address issues relating to increasing populations and deteriorating infrastructure and IBM is already working on technology for the "smart" cities of the future.
The technology giant predicts that over the next five years cities will have healthier immune systems, with officials knowing exactly when, where and how diseases are spreading and hospitals and schools being equipped with better tools to tackle infections such as the H1N1 virus.
It also suggested that buildings will be built in a more intelligent manner and be managed in the same way as a living organism, meaning they can respond quickly to help save resources and reduce carbon emissions. Cars and buses in cities will also be more eco-friendly – running on new battery technology that does not need to be recharged for long periods.
IBM also expects that in the future technology will enable cities to be equipped with smarter water systems that reduce waste and help purify sewage to help tackle lack of access to safe drinking water.
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Finally, the firm expects that urban regions will be able to reduce and even prevent emergencies thanks to proactive measures to head off crime, stating that it is already working on systems which can help prevent flooding and fire.
Speaking about the need for smarter cities, IBM's general manager Anne Altman said: "I think we'll see extraordinary transformations in major cities throughout the world during the next three to five years," adding that many cities' infrastructures are at a "breaking point".
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