A short form for the Internet of Things, the IoT is engineered to perform as a system of small, medium, and large (static and mobile) but digitally-enabled, interconnected devices. The key attribute of this expression of digital technology is an unhindered ability to transfer data across the network without the need for human agency or manual intervention.

Devices in the IoT include vehicles, home appliances, electric meters, certain parts of industrial installations, security systems, thermostats, electronic appliances, alarm clocks, speaker systems, vending machines, etc. These are variously equipped with sensors, software, actuators, and other electronic components that animate the core functions of the IoT.

In the context of modern smart cities, the IoT performs through various applications that enable video surveillance, smart parking spaces and meters, intelligent waste management, environmental sensing functions, smart lighting of urban spaces, etc. Experts note that a modular end-to end IoT solution for a smart city includes analytics modules, connectivity platforms, a raft of computerized applications, multiple layers of digital and electronic security, and a host of devices, systems, and sub-systems. These can be harnessed into a fully shared, secured, and scalable infrastructure implementation of a modern smart city solution.

Emerging digital technologies are helping smart city developers to manage urban waste, improve water quality for residents, ease traffic congestion, cut pollution levels in urban landscapes, ensure public safety, improve the delivery of public goods, and secure a range of public assets and infrastructure. They include Bluetooth Low Energy, 5G, artificial intelligence, Big Data systems, machine learning platforms, and V2x.

These technologies, when incorporated into IoT infrastructure, elevate the human experience of a smart city solution. However, designers of smart cities must remain consistent with an avowed strategy across multiple initiatives; they must avoid the temptation to reap short-term benefits in implementation. That said, observers note that such implementations remain work in progress and will bear fruition in the future.