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2024 | Book

Smart City Innovations: Navigating Urban Transformation with Sustainable Mobility

Editor: Simon Elias Bibri

Book Series : Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Table of Contents

About this book

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the intersection of urban planning, transportation, technology, and smart city development. With a keen focus on sustainability and the potential for positive change, it presents a collection of diverse chapters that shed light on emerging trends and innovative solutions in the field. The book examines the role of urban ropeways as both a public transport service and a catalyst for touristic development, highlighting their potential benefits and challenges. It also introduces novel approaches to measuring accessibility and transportation potential using Space Syntax and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), providing valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers. The chapters delve into specific areas of study, such as the driving behavior of individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, the mobility challenges faced by women in developing countries, and alternative methods of snow and ice removal in parkingareas through hydronic heating. Furthermore, the book explores the intersection of sustainability, smart cities, and global travel, considering the impact of aviation on climate change and the potential of digital humanism in the metaverse. It also examines the implications and challenges of cultural biases in smart city development, emphasizing the need for inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) in housing is discussed, focusing on the domotization of sustainable walls and their potential benefits for energy efficiency and sustainable living. The use of immersive technologies in virtual heritage is explored, showcasing innovative tourist experiences and highlighting the case of the Berati Ethnographic Museum. The book also addresses the potential of web mapping applications for smart city development, the behavioral attitudes toward ridesharing and mode preferences of shared automated electric vehicles, the development of wind turbine systems for vehicle battery recharging, and the application of knowledge-driven problem identification in transformative city design and development. “Smart City Innovations" serves as a valuable resource for researchers, professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of urban planning, transportation, and smart cities. By addressing pressing challenges and presenting innovative solutions, this book aims to inspire positive change and contribute to the creation of sustainable and livable urban environments.

Frontmatter

Smart Cities and Sustainable Technologies

Frontmatter

Unleashing the Potential of Smart Cities: A Web Mapping Application for Türkiye

Abstract

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are powerful and dynamic systems that enable effective creation, management, analysis, and mapping of a wide range of data. GIS is widely utilized by national and local authorities, private enterprises, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and experts due to its ability to integrate spatial data with descriptive attributes. Moreover, GIS plays a significant role in the context of smart cities, representing the future of sustainable, efficient, and livable urban development. The integration of GIS in smart cities highlights the importance of spatial analysis by enabling a holistic approach to urban development. The term “smart city” has a broader meaning beyond technological advancements, as spatial analysis plays a crucial role in understanding urban complexities and optimizing resource allocation. To unleash the potential of GIS in smart cities, urban stakeholders at all levels need to embrace spatial perspective and utilize GIS effectively. However, there are challenges such as the lack of technical skills and the use of costly software, which may discourage individuals from utilizing GIS. This study designs a free and user-friendly web mapping application that covers provinces and districts specific to Türkiye. The objective is to enable individuals without GIS knowledge to easily transform spatially featured data into accessible outputs. The absence of such a web mapping application in Türkiye highlights the innovative nature of this study. We believe this application will significantly contribute to enhancing the spatial perspectives of local administrators, stakeholders, experts, and individuals in Türkiye, thereby promoting the advancement of smart cities.

Kandemir Atçeken, Taner Sezer, Esra Dik

Development of a Wind Turbine to Recharge a Vehicle’s Battery

Abstract

This article presents an electricity generation system using a wind turbine prototype (MiniTurbi), installed in a four-cylinder 2014 Honda CR-V Honda model truck. The MiniTurbi used the energy coming from the wind that collides in the vehicle, which allowed the MiniTurbi mechanism to generate 0.11364 kWh at an average speed of the truck of 40 km/h, the vehicle battery stores the watts (W). The kWh generated by the MiniTurbi reduce the consumption of magna gasoline in 0.015 L, with the above it stopped emitting 0.033 kg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere. The total cost of the MiniTurbi was $10.36 dollars. The electric power generated by the MiniTurbi helped to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels (magna gasoline), it also allowed the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as CO₂, methane (CH₄), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), among others which contribute to Climate Change and reduce the environmental impact of transport systems.

Javier Aguirre Contreras, Miguel Arzate Pérez, Javier Aguirre Muñoz, Gerardo Arzate Pérez

Knowledge-Driven Problem Identification in Action Research for ICT4D: Towards Transformative City Design and Development

Abstract

This study explores connections between Action Research (AR) and Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) within the context of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), with a specific focus on Kenitra, Morocco. It aims to contribute to the transformation of urban development approaches in this region, where, despite local actors’ proclaimed commitment to concepts like smart cities, sustainable development, and digital transformation, they often face significant challenges when dealing with the urban complexities of the city. Utilizing a co-construction methodology that integrates PDIA, AR, and Soft Systems tools, and drawing inspiration from urban development theories and frameworks, this research seeks to address these challenges and foster a more effective transition toward smart and sustainable urban development through a proposed strategic application of ICT4D. This approach serves to bridge the divide between theoretical frameworks and the practical implementation of ICT for urban development. Data collection methods include seminars, document analysis, and participatory workshops, fostering stakeholder-driven change and enabling the co-creation and dissemination of knowledge and capabilities. The proposed approach involves a strategic integration of knowledge, which doesn’t naturally emerge solely from AR or PDIA approaches, enhancing understanding of territorial dynamics, enabling effective problem identification, and promoting transformative ICT-driven territorial development and sustainable innovation. This novel approach contributes to broader discussions on ICT’s role in economic, social, and human development.

Jaouad Dabounou, Soumia Hajbi

Smart Cities and Sustainability

Frontmatter

Sustainability, Smart Cities, and Global Travel: Mitigating the Climate Change Impact of Aviation Through Digital Humanism in the Metaverse

Abstract

Digital twins, an innovation originally emerging in the early twenty-first century, have rapidly evolved to become a cornerstone technology in the international aviation industry and smart city infrastructures. Their application extends beyond asset and systems management, paving the way for enhanced operational efficiencies and sustainability initiatives. This technology, now integral to smart cities and airport design, facilitates real-time data collection, energy management, and maintenance tracking, thus playing a pivotal role in the ongoing Industrial Revolution 4.0 and benefiting from the advancements in 6G technologies. The potential of digital twins is particularly significant in the realm of global travel, where they are transforming commercial airport management. Moving beyond the traditional focus on profit optimization, digital twins, augmented by robust AI and Digital Airport and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, have overcome previous challenges related to sensor reliability and model failure. These advancements are crucial in improving flight tracking, construction, maintenance, and operational efficiency, directly contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions in global transportation—a persistent concern among researchers and policymakers. This study delves into the role of digital twins and extended reality (XR) technologies in fostering sustainability within the aviation sector and smart city planning. The integration of XR with digital twins offers immersive and interactive solutions, enhancing operational procedures and decision-making processes. Moreover, the concept of digital humanism, involving the alignment of metaverse virtual networks with physical assets, emerges as a transformative approach in this domain. By harnessing the synergy between these technologies, this study presents a forward-thinking perspective on mitigating climate change impacts and advancing sustainability in global travel, underscoring the significance of digital twins, XR, and digital humanism in shaping the future of aviation and urban development.

James Hutson, Terri Edwards, Jason Ceballos

Cultural Biases in the Smart City: Implications and Challenges

Abstract

Smart cities are a hot topic that is attracting a lot of intellectual and economic resources. Given the expectations posed on this new concept of urban development, this is clearly understandable. Nonetheless a significant number of scholars question such a model for being too optimistic and oftentimes wrong when challenged. This research delves into the smart city paradigm to uncover potential embedded biases that may hinder its ability to fulfil its overarching goals. It begins by reframing the discourse on smart cities as a collective project, revealing beneath its seemingly fragmented surface a cohesive effort to ensure urban sustainability. This shift in perspective forms the basis of the research and allows for a comprehensive analysis of the Smart City Project (SCP), starting with the recognition of the roots of its overall objective and expected outcomes. The findings provide compelling evidence for the hypothesis put forward: the SCP, rooted in Western origins, has inherent cultural biases that have a significant impact on its ability to deal effectively with the complex challenges it seeks to address. Moreover, these insights shed light on how these culturally biased assumptions can distort priorities, favoring technological advancements and economic gains over critical considerations of social justice and environmental sustainability. In conclusion, acknowledging the Eurocentric underpinnings of the SCP does not deny its positive aspects or ignore its values and achievements. Rather, it serves to clarify its non-natural and non-apolitical stance, placing it within a broader landscape of epistemological and ethical options. This study underscores the importance of critically examining and addressing these biases to guide the future development of smart cities toward more equitable and sustainable urban environments.

Alessandro Masoni

Immersive Technologies in Virtual Heritage for an Innovative Tourist Experience the Case of the Berati Ethnographic Museum

Abstract

Immersive technologies are becoming extremely effective tools for documenting and disseminating virtual heritage for educational and tourism purposes. With today’s technology, we can not only view 3D representations of historical buildings and artifacts, but also engage with them virtually. However, the current level of interaction they offer is often limited. This study represents an academic contribution in introducing innovative highly interactive VR tools aimed at enhancing tourist experiences. The virtual tour is seen as a form of video game entertainment offering interactive engagement with the virtual museum space. This study describes the methodology for developing a highly realistic and qualitative interactive virtual tour web application using the Berat Ethnographic Museum as a case study. The main challenge is to consider the optimization of the model in the different stages. The workflow starts with the collection of all relevant information about the site and the museum artifacts and the selection of the best surveying technique in view of subsequent optimization. The first phase involves surveying and digitizing the museum space and artifacts, followed by the creation of optimized 3D models for various artefacts. In the following phases, each 3D model is carefully textured and the lighting and camera settings are configured to be accurate and realistic. In the final phase, the 3D model is coded into a game engine and the project is packaged for web and VR platforms to run smoothly. This virtual experience will be made accessible to the public through the Smart Tour website, allowing visitors to deeply engage with heritage.

Joan Ikonomi, Dorina Papa

Urban Public Transport and Mobility Planning

Frontmatter

Urban Ropeway as Public Transport Service and Tourist Development Opportunity

Abstract

The spread of private motorization has produced significant impacts on the territorial system from an economic, social and environmental point of view, focusing attention on the problems of interactions between transport and land use and the related effects on sustainable development. Useful innovative solutions for making the urban context more sustainable with adequate quality standards can allow a more balanced reorganization of the transport system and a rearrangement of the Transport/Land Use system. Many cities are moving towards cable transport systems as an alternative to private transport in urban areas, integrated with other collective transport systems, ensuring environmental eco-sustainability, substantial cost reduction and energy saving. The cable systems (ropeways, funiculars) represent an opportunity for hilly zones, being a possibility to connect areas with reduced accessibility. Today these systems not only represent a solution for accessibility problems but have great potential from a tourist point of view; in fact, they can be a key-tool for enhancing sites with great urban interest. The paper proposes an analysis of aerial cable transport systems in urban areas, considering the potential impacts on local public transport services and on the tourism sector. The case study of a ropeway project to connect an urban area with a hill having a strong tourist vocation in a city in Southern Italy is presented. In a unified Transport/Land Use vision, hypotheses of environmental requalification and integrated tourist supply of the linked sites are formulated.

Domenico Gattuso, Caterina Gattuso, Domenica Savia Pellicanò

Streets Magnitude: Approach for Measuring Accessibility and Transportation Potential Using Space Syntax

Abstract

Streets in cities are the element responsible for circulation and transferring of people or goods either by vehicular transportation, pedestrians or means of bicycles and scooters. Movement is the basic level of functionality in streets where activities are formed depending on the type and rate of transferring of users in urban settlements. The paper studies and analyses the spatial configuration of Motamayez district in 6th of October city, Egypt. It aims at exploring and comparing the influence of both of internal and external streets attributes on movement flow in residential neighborhoods for vehicles and pedestrians as an approach for studying urban vibrancy in districts. Street accessibility (in terms of integration and choice-to-depth values), street length and street width are all studied and compared together with each of vehicles and pedestrians flow. It uses space syntax as a technique for analyzing and measuring degrees of connectivity and accessibility of streets using Depthmap software. It has found out that external attributes (in terms of integration and choice-to-depth) have significant influence on movement rates of both of vehicles and pedestrians more than internal streets attributes of length and width.

Amro Abdelalim, Waleed Hussein, Nihal Alaa’ElDien

GIS as a Tool for Measuring the Centrality of Transportation Networks in Budapest City

Abstract

Analyzing the distribution of transportation networks connecting different areas of cities is one of the important topics in urban and transport planning. It helps in understanding the influence of the networks in the urban structure. GIS environment is an important aspect of the previously mentioned issue. With the help of this environment, the effect of transportation networks could be represented and visualized in a spatial context. This research aims to present GIS as a tool for applying the different measurements of city centrality through network analysis. This is presented by measuring degree centrality and applying the Multiple Centrality Assessments (MCA); closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, and straightness centrality, on the public transportation network of Budapest city. The measurements are applied after building the network and defining its nodes and edges in the GIS environment. Achieving these measurements in the GIS environment will help in the assessments of centrality levels among different urban areas in Budapest which is essential for understanding the effect of the transportation network on the city and improving its performance.

Ola Qasseer, Gábor Szalkai

Transportation and Urban Challenges

Frontmatter

On the Driving Behavior of Individuals with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder by Using Driving Simulator

Abstract

There is a limited number of multidisciplinary studies in the literature exploring the driving behavior of individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some research has relied on driving simulators to analyse differences in driving performance between individuals with ASD and those with typical development (TD). However, most studies have not considered the reaction to unexpected events (e.g. sudden crossing) and some fundamental cognitive aspects such as understanding the intentions of other individuals and spatial perception abilities. Our preliminary study aims to compare the performance of young adults with ASD and TD in a driver simulator and on tests assessing the abilities to infer the intentions of others and spatial orientation. Three participants with a diagnosis of Level-1 ASD (mean age = 22 years, SD = 4.58) and three participants with TD (mean age = 24 years, SD = 2.00) took part in the study. An urban scenario with low-to-medium traffic intersections, traffic lights, crosswalks, and expected and unexpected pedestrian crosswalks was created. The driving behavior of the participants was analyzed using an appropriate indicators based on the measurement of the kinematic and dynamic parameters of the vehicle (speed acceleration, jerks, force applied on the brake pedal, etc.) as well as the collisions and violations of traffic rules monitored during the simulations. For the unexpected and sudden crosswalks, the ASD group showed differences in reaction times, releasing the accelerator pedal and applying the brake more quickly than the TD group. No differences between the two groups emerged for the adherence to the traffic rules, reaction to expected crosswalks, and performance on cognitive tests. Our preliminary results suggested a different perception, processing, and reaction to an unexpected event in the driving simulation. Given the importance of driving to achieve independence and improve quality of life, future studies should explore more in-depth both physical–mechanical and human-behavioral indicators in ASD individuals.

Ferdinando Totani, Antony Bologna, Margherita Attanasio, Monica Mazza, Marco Valenti, Gino D’Ovidio

Exploring SAEVs in the UK: A Behavioral Attitudes and Ridesharing Analysis for Sustainable Urban Mobility

Abstract

Shared Automated Electric Vehicles (SAEVs) could revolutionize urban mobility in London due to its complex terrain and traffic congestion. However, there remains a gap bridging this new mobility with wider public acceptance of SAEVs that could induce congestion and foster social inequity. This study explores the potential adoption of SAEVs by investigating behavioral attitudes and willingness to rideshare. This study employs a statistical-utility maximization approach, including sociodemographic, socioeconomic, travel, and psychological factors, utilizing a Stated Preference Discrete Choice Experiment (SPDCE) with 446 Londoners. The analysis employs Ordinal Logit Models (OLM) and Kruskal–Wallis (H-tests) to assess the link between socio-demo-econo-travel factors, psychological variables, and ridesharing with strangers. Additionally, we specify a Multinomial Logit Model (MNL) to understand mode choice and preferences. The results reveal a general reluctance among respondents to rideshare in SAEVs with strangers from diverse backgrounds. Gender influences the importance of SAEVs’ self-charging capability, while ethnicity and prior Dynamic Ride Sharing (DRS) experience impact the importance of comfort in SAEVs. H-test results indicate potential future SAEV appreciation, especially considering psychological factors like Technological Acceptance and Use (TAU) during peak and off-peak periods. The MNL model highlights the preference of license holders for SAEVs in mode choice decisions. This study offers crucial insights into ridesharing hesitations and acceptance, benefiting transport agencies and operators in integrating new mobility technologies while maintaining transport resilience.

Pooja Rao, Mohammed Quddus, Washington Y. Ochieng

Hydronic Heating of Parking Areas Instead of Mechanical Clearing of Snow and Ice

Abstract

Winter weather can severely impact traffic safety for motorised transport, cyclists, and pedestrians. To combat this, mechanised clearing services and road salt are used. However, winter maintenance reduces road durability and service vehicles are increasingly costly due to diesel consumption. As a substitute, this paper proposes a porous interlayer (PIL) heat exchanger system coupled with an active heating system in lieu of a heat reservoir. It is based on a ZIM AiF cooperative research and development project “HEIZ” between TU Darmstadt and an industry partner. It was partially funded by the German Ministry for Economy and Climate Action. A 10-m by 4-m prototype for a hydronic pavement was constructed and operated during two cold periods. A heat source was used to heat the water flowing through the PIL of the hydronic pavement. The following temperatures were passively and continuously monitored: the surface of adjacent conventional asphalt pavement, the surface and inside of the hydronic pavement, and water at the inlet, the outlet, and in the buffer tanks and the ambient. As predicted, the hydronic pavement achieved consistently higher temperatures than the surrounding conventional pavement and thereby prevented the formation of ice and snow at all times. Using an energy balance approach, the thermal efficiency of the hydronic asphalt was calculated as 84%. This suggests that the proposed system could be a feasible and economically viable substitute for conventional winter services if the application area is adjacent to a building with a heat source. Other potential benefits include increased road safety in cold weather and a cooling effect in hot weather.

Maximilian Wilhelm Schütz, Stefan Böhm, Jia Liu

Title: Smart City Innovations: Navigating Urban Transformation with Sustainable Mobility
Editor: Simon Elias Bibri
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-031-57385-9
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-57384-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57385-9