Singapore’s CIO Chan Cheow Hoe met with CEO Prof Lutz Heuser and his team at the [ui!] office in Berlin to discuss smart city platforms.

Berlin, 21 June 2017. The objective of the meeting in Berlin between Singapore’s Chief Information Officer and [ui!] was to explore synergies of [ui!]’s open urban data platform for the objective to Asian city state’s ambition to become the world’s first smart nation.

Singapore plays a vital role in the smart city movement. For the growing city, it is vitally important to reuse and retrofit existing infrastructure. Singapore uses big data and analytics to advance their key urban infrastructure, for instance by forecasting traffic jam, monitoring waste management and sustainable energy in buildings.

CEO Prof Lutz Heuser commented: “Singapore has proved to be an incredible test bed for smart city solutions from all over the world. We are excited to get to know the needs and challenges of the city and its citizens better during its ongoing digital transformation.”

In reference cities around Europe and Australia, [ui!] has implemented innovative concepts and solutions reusing and re-purposing data.

Together with the German Standardization Organization, DIN, [ui!] leads a consortium, which created a standard reference architecture for open urban platforms. It will be published this summer.

Today, at the ASCA Summit Dinner event President Michael Whereat launched the ASCA Guide 2017, which showcases some of the best examples of smart solutions being deployed in Australia and New Zealand and acknowledged the contributions of Acaché, Smarter Technology Solutions, and [ui!] the urban institute® with its platform solution [ui!] UrbanPulse.

ASCA Guide 2017This year’s guide has expanded to include a broader range of smart city themes and case studies. Featuring best practice initiatives and deployments from large cities to regional areas. The ASCA Guide 2017 shares the successes of the ASCA members and partners as they solve challenges with smarter approaches, innovative solutions and smart technologies. These range from smart parking to smart signage, lighting and poles, to sensors, apps, management platforms and open data programs.

President Whereat prominently showed how [ui!] UrbanPulse can process real-time data and the [ui!] COCKPIT is a valuable mean to visualise the smartness of cities and communities. He invited all councils to participate in the ASCA wide knowledge sharing.

Prof Lutz Heuser, CEO of [ui!] group, said, "We are proud ASCA has selected us for supporting the ASCA Guide 2017". "A collaborative approach towards best practices is the best way to ensure faster take-up," added Prof Simon Kaplan, CEO [ui!] Australia.

Further information and ASCA Guide 2017: http://australiansmartcommunities.org.au/asca-guide

First technical standard and classification for integrated multifunctional street lighting

Hannover, Germany March 22nd 2017. Today DIN, [ui!] - the urban institute® and their consortium partners present the worldwide first technical standard (DIN SPEC 91347) and classification for “integrated multifunctional street lamps” at CeBIT, Hannover. This way the integrated multifunctional street lamp can become a key component of smart cities and communities.

The core of the standardization project are 14 digital use cases, which demonstrate how cities and communities can profit, when they seize the current opportunity: Not just replacing old lighting with LED but creating a component-based system. Meeting the demands and challenges of modern cities with targeted new functionalities. With sensor technology for traffic monitoring as the basis of automated driving. With WiFi routers for public internet access. And with charging stations for electric vehicles.

“It is essential to consider street lighting and additional components not only in isolation but to create an integrated system of the digital city”, says Lutz Heuser head of the consortium and [ui!] CEO. Sensors can detect parking spots and traffic, collect environmental data and enable event based light control. With the acquired data, new services for citizens and municipalities as well as new business models for start-ups and companies can be created.

“Our work is going to improve long-term planning to shape the digital transformation and foster the dialogue between politics, administration and businesses”, says Bernhard Kempen, DIN project manager of the DIN SPEC project.

The consortium consisted of the following partners – lead and coordination by [ui!]

• Operator of street lighting infrastructure: EnBW (with product line SM!GHT); RheinEnergie;
  
  
• Light management and charging infrastructure: Schréder (with product line Shuffle); Trilux; Continental (with Connected Car); eluminocity (with Light & Charge System);
  
  
• Communication and platforms for internet of things: Deutsche Telekom; NXP (with Connected Car & Security); Alliander (Smart Society Services); Microsoft.

The DIN SPEC 91347 has been published by “Beuth Verlag”. An English version will be available soon.

MediA cONTACTS:

DIN

Oliver Boergen

Press Officer / Senior Manager External Communication

T+49 (0) 30 2601-2050

E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e. V.

Am DIN-Platz, Burggrafenstraße 6

10787 Berlin

ABOUT

DIN

the German Institute for Standardization, is the independent platform for standardization in Germany and worldwide. As a partner for industry, research and society as a whole, DIN plays a major role in paving the way for innovations to reach the market and advancing progress in innovative areas such as Industry 4.0 and Smart Cities. More than 32,000 experts from industry, research, consumer protection and the public sector bring their expertise to work on standardization projects managed by DIN. The results of these efforts are market-oriented standards and specifications that promote global trade, encouraging rationalization, quality assurance and environmental protection as well as improving security and communication. DIN was founded in 1917 and is celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2017. For more information, go to

www.din.de

PM_UI_DIN_multifunctional_integrated_street_light_22-03.pdf

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Although digitization is taking the manufacturing industry by storm, it has yet to make a significant impact in public administration. This is all the more surprising, considering the enormous potential of digital technology for towns and cities.

When you’re in your car and stuck at the third red light in a row or driving down the same street for the nth time looking for a place to park, you might ask yourself: “Is there not a better way?” Digitization is the word on everyone’s lips in the manufacturing industry, where the Internet of Things (IoT) is constantly giving rise to new possibilities. But in cities, little progress has been made thus far.

In Germany, there are already several prominent examples of cities that have launched smart city initiatives, including Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. However, such projects are associated with large investments, which seems to be the reason they have yet to become widespread. Currently, the majority of concepts are primarily concerned with intelligently controlling urban systems. Digitization generates huge volumes of data that can be combined and analyzed to create intelligent solutions for traffic management, resource efficiency, and urban planning and living.

Automation, but Not Enough Digitization

"At present, cities are not sufficiently prepared for the digital age", says Dirk Heuser from the Urban Software Institute (Hall 7, Stand A14) , an organization that advises municipalities, cities, and metropolitan areas on their digital transformation journey. He adds, "We already see extensive automation, but that rarely produces useful data that benefits citizens or businesses."

In the future, large cities will have put information to good use and potentially share it with others. Mobility and utilities are just two areas that will quickly become difficult to master without the support of data.

A Dynamic Platform for All Data

"This requires two things in principle," says Heuser: "An infrastructure to capture data, and the ability to evaluate and share it." The Urban Software Institute has developed a platform named UrbanPulse that collects all data and provides it to the relevant groups. It uses sensors to collect information from parking machines, traffic lights, and traffic cameras and combines it with data from organizations such as transport agencies or road traffic control. This provides valuable insights in real time, enabling dynamic traffic light circuits or personalized route planning for navigation devices, for example.

Complete article:   http://www.cebit.de

Stellvertretend für die Stadt Bad Hersfeld, hat kürzlich Bürgermeister Thomas Fehling auf einer Veranstaltung der Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsvereinigung (MIT) die Notwendigkeit der Digitalisierung der städtischen Infrastruktur betont.

Gemeinsam mit [ui!] sind hier noch einige zukunftsweisende Projekte geplant, um die Lebensqualität für die Bürger der Kreisstadt zu steigern und den Standort für Unternehmen attraktiver zu machen.

Für den Wandel zur Smart City ist laut Bürgermeister Thomas Fehling eine zentrale Informationsplattform notwendig, bei der alle Lösungen an einem Punkt zusammenlaufen. Diese Basis wird dann bei der Bewältigung des Projektes "Hessentag 2019 in Bad Hersfeld" helfen. Insbesondere die geplante Nutzung von autonomen Bus Shuttles setzt eine zentrale Bereitstellung notwendiger Daten voraus. Ein weitere Herausforderung wird auch die Erstellung eines Smart City Lab in einem Gewerbegebiet von Bad Hersfeld sein.

Weitere Informationen zu der Veranstaltung finden Sie hier: www.osthessen-news.de

Am Mittwoch, den 1. Februar 2017 war [ui!] zur ersten axxess2vision im Jahr 2017 nach Bonn zum Hauptsitz der axxessio GmbH eingeladen.

Die neunte Edition der bereits etablierten Veranstaltung stand im Zeichen der Digitalen Transformation.

Um 18.00 Uhr begrüßte Goodarz Mahbobi die Gäste des Abends und übergab nach einer kurzen Programmvorstellung das Wort an Herr Dr. Felix Wunderer. Der Vice President ePublishing der Deutschen Telekom AG berichtete über die fesselnde Erfolgsgeschichte der tolino Produktfamilie sowie über die Übernahme  des tolino durch das kanadische E-Reading-Unternehmen Kobo, welches seit 2011 dem japanischen E-Commerce Giganten Rakuten gehört.

Anschließend tauchten die Gäste gemeinsam mit Herrn Dr. Thomas Bungartz, Gründer und Geschäftsführer der CyBike GmbH, in die Welt der E-Bikes bzw. die künftigen digitalen Services ein, die Fahrradherstellern ihren Endkunden anhand der CyBike App anbieten können. Darunter zählen Funktionalitäten wie personalisierte Routen und Tourenfunktionen, Hilfefunktionen anhand Tutorials wie auch Pannen-Funktionen und digitalen Servicehefte für Bikes und E-Bikes.

Im dritten und letzten Vortrag des Abends nahm Herr Prof. Dr. Dr. Heuser, Chief Technology Officer des Urban Software Institutes, die Teilnehmer auf einen virtuellen Rundgang in die „Stadt von Morgen“ mit. Er zeigte anhand spannender Beispiele wie Daten aus dem täglichen Leben sinnvoll mit technologischen Elementen verbunden werden und miteinander agieren können. Diese Darstellung gab den Teilnehmern einen eindrucksvollen Einblick wie unser künftiges Stadtbild aussehen wird.

Wie gewohnt hatten die Gäste anschließend die Gelegenheit, bei Fingerfood und Getränke ihre Gespräche mit den Rednern bzw. untereinander fortzuführen.

Quelle: axxessio - Melanie Tjiptoadi, Fotografien von Michael Kolsdorf

After the positive response on the news of the cooperation between the international technology company Continental and [ui!], we would like to take the opportunity to answer some questions we have recieved. CEO & CTO Lutz Heuser, answered the following questions that were submitted:

1. What are the advantages of strategic partnerships for an innovative company like [ui!]?

The urban institute is an incubator for new smart services on the basis of urban data. Our core expertise is the development of innovative business models and the corresponding software-as-a-service solution. With strategic partnerships we get access to the relevant markets for us, in order to understand needs better and offer attractive solutions.
An important focus of our work is the access to data of urban infrastructures and their provision for urban mobility, energy management in districts and the implementation of climate targets. Strategic partnerships help us to enable the extensive "match making" of operators of urban infrastructures and therefore data providers with data users.

2. Why was Continental chosen as a partner for the field of automotive applications and which specific outcomes do you expect?

"Infrastructure-to-car," the use of urban data for integrated and autonomous driving, is currently a hot topic. The just-concluded CES in Las Vegas and the auto show in Detroit demonstrated once again how much driving will change in the next few years. With its approach of eHorizons - "artificial horizons" for vehicles - Continental has laid out the basis for the use of urban data. Together, we can lead in commercialising urban data for integrated and autonomous driving.

3. As part of the closer cooperation, Continental has also recieved a seat on the advisory board of [ui!]. What tasks does this advisory board have?

The advisory board will consistently support the Urban Institute in its path to becoming an international player. It offers us the opportunity, to test our innovations for their marketability.

4. Which other strategic areas for partnerships are there?

Firstly, the operators of urban infrastructures need convincing to offer third parties their data via an open urban platform such as [ui!] UrbanPulse. Therefore, operators that position themselves as innovators and consistently follow the path of digitasation of urban spaces are ideal partners for us. The "Internet of Things" is part of each city, more precisely part of the city furniture such as street lights and traffic lights.
Secondly, real estate as well as city districts are a field of central importance with regards to energy efficiency and sustainability. Here, we are interested in profitably of reusing data for instance from the field of smart homes or property management for thrid party operators such as network operators.
Finally, the big platform and cloud operators are valuable partners in the operational implementation of the solutions. Looking at the current development of our clients, we see a growing need for data storage and processing. Here our partner network can guarantee an extensive range of products world wide today.

5. How about the internationalisation of [ui!]. Are international partnerships planned?

[ui!] operates in various European countries, the US and Australia already. Therefore, international partnerships, both globally as well as locally, are of significant importance. This year, we will negotiate addtional international partnerships and consider market entry in south esat Asia.

6. What outcomes do you expect from the partnerships in the upcoming three years ?

In three years we will successfully operate several joint venture companies with our strategic partners, to market innovations successfully. In addition we will have a cutting-edge portfolio in the Urban Institute, which makes us one of the leading providers for open urban platforms and therefore data brokers.

Thank you for answering these questions.

App around a polar bear creates awareness among young people dealing with energy

To enagage students in the issue "Climate Change - What can I do about it", the German energy provider RheinEnergie and [ui!] have started the project "Klimabär" (eng: "Climate Bear"). For the project three classes from the school Dreikönigsgymnasium compete for the lowest energy consumption in their classroom as part of the city wide initiative SmartCity Cologne. The educational part of the project was developed by the IT teacher Miriam Ruschhaupt in order to bring the issue of climate change closer to her students.

Before the project, for many students the issue of climate change seems far way. But with the Klimabär-App developed by two former students, each student can now contribute to the reduction of their energy consumption and therefore reducing harmful effects to the world's climate. The required data is taken from heating measurement technology of the project partner Brunata-Metrona and collected, processed and visualized with help of the platform [ui!] Urban Pulse. Other partners included manageE and NetCologne.

For four weeks three classes in year eight identified the consumption of electricity and heat in their classrooms. In order to achieve this, the project partners and RheinEnergie equipped the classrooms with instruments and the heating valves, so that the students could regulate the heating system themselves.

To visualize the energy consumption and its consequences, the former students Leonhard Wattenbach and Steffan Schlein have developed the app "Klimabär". It shows a polar bear on an ice floe, which with increasing energy consumption - measured in intervals of 15 Minutes - is getting smaller.

The class, which, at the end of the competition has used the least amount of energy, wins a price. Additionally, there are weekly goals, which the classes have to achieve in order to increase the well-being of the virtual polar bears. These objectives are matched with the Geography lessons, which deal with the change of economic areas through the influence of globalisation in year eight.

The two app developers: Steffan Schlein (l.) and Leonhard Wattenbach (r.)

SmartCity Cologne is an initiative of the city of Cologne and RheinEnergie, a platform for different projects for climate protection and the turn around in German energy policy. Everyone can join: individuals, companies, associations and initiatives. Together intelligent ideas and innovative techniques are being developed, which make Cologne an ever better place to live.

Information to SmartCity Cologne: www.smartcity-cologne.de

Conference “Car of the Future” with Viktor Orbán and EU-Commissioner Günther Oettinger,
May 19, 2016 in Budapest

EU member states of Middle and Eastern Europe keen to turn their urban areas into Smart Cities

• Internet based Mobility, Energy, Innovation: East Europe Regions to catch-up
• Foundation of “Centre of Excellence for Smart Cities” in Budapest planned
• A testbed assistant driving will be made available to the Centre of Excellence for establishing testbeds in Hungarian cities

Budapest/Berlin, May 19, 2016. At the conference „Car of the Future” with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and EU-Commissioner Günther Oettinger, Prof. Dr. Lutz Heuser, CEO of [ui!] the urban institute announced the collaboration on “Open urban platforms for autonomous driving in Smart Cities” as part of SMARTPOLIS, the “Centre of Excellence for Smart Cities” in Budapest. The Goal of the Centre is to support and speed-up the digital transformation of Eastern Europe to reach new mobility, reduction of energy consumption, emissions in the region, innovative startups and better living conditions. Founders of the Centre are the Hungarian Government, the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office, the University of Budapest, the Fraunhofer Institute Fokus from Berlin, the Germany based [ui!] the urban institute^®.

Based on the successful implementation of real-time traffic information, the [ui!] TRAFFIC testbed for assistant driving in the City of Darmstadt went live last Friday and first tests were conducted by the Automotive Industry. This open urban platform infrastructure will be made available to the Centre of Excellence for establishing testbeds in Hungarian cities.

Based on the successful implementation of real-time traffic information, the [ui!] TRAFFIC testbed for assistant driving in the City of Darmstadt went live last Friday and first tests were conducted by the Automotive Industry. This open urban platform infrastructure will be made available to the Centre of Excellence for establishing testbeds in Hungarian cities.

SMARTPOLIS Centre of Excellence

The SMARTPOLIS Centre of Excellence will support the lead initiatives of the European Innovation Partnership “Smart Cities and Communities” to be rolled out in Central and South East Europe.

Currently, the consortium prepares the business plan and it has established a network of partners in seven countries of the region. In its role, the Centre of Excellence should serve as a catalyst for new mobility services, market take-up of electro mobility, roll-out of integrated multi-functional street lighting infrastructure (aka “Humble Lamppost”), and open urban platforms.

Hub for building up capacity and knowledge sharing

While Western European EU Member States have started the journey of modernizing their cities and built capacity and related knowledge centres, Hungary and others in Eastern Central Europe are lacking such a comprehensive initiative. The Budapest Centre of Excellence for Smart Cities will be the nucleus and hub for building up capacity and knowledge sharing within the larger European Initiative “Smart Cities and Communities”.

The consortium will submit its business plan to the European Commission in June, this year. It is envisioned to ramp-up the Centre of Excellence by a co-financing of enterprises, Hungarian Government and European Commission, a budget of EUR 30 million has been proposed. After the ram-up phase, the Centre of Excellence shall operate independently. The Centre of Excellence should impact a region of at least 50 Million citizens as the major Hub for the “Digitalization of the urban infrastructure” supporting the overall EU climate goals and the European innovation partnership Smart Cities and Communities.