By Loren K. Baynes, Director, Global Marketing Communications, The Open Group
On Wednesday, February 26, The Open Group will host a Tweet Jam examining smart cities and how Real-time and Embedded Systems can seamlessly integrate inputs from various agencies and locations. That collective data allows local governments to better adapt to change by implementing an analytics-based approach to measure:
- Economic activity
- Mobility patterns
- Resource consumption
- Waste management and sustainability measures
- Inclement weather
- And much more!
These metrics allow smart cities to do much more than just coordinate responses to traffic jams, they are forecasting and coordinating safety measures in advance of physical disasters and inclement weather; calculating where offices and shops can be laid out most efficiently; and how all the parts of urban life should be fitted together including energy, sustainability and infrastructural repairs and planning and development.
Smart cities are already very much a reality in the Middle East and in Korea and those have become a model for developers in China, and for redevelopment in Europe. Market research firm, IDC Government Insights projects that 2014 is the year cities around the world start getting smart. It predicts a $265 billion spend by cities worldwide this year alone to implement new technology and integrate agency data. Part of the reason for that spend is likely spurred by the fact that more than half the world’s population currently lives in urban areas. With urbanization rates rapidly increasing, Brookings Institution estimates that number could swell up to 75 percent of the global populace by 2050.
While the awe-inspiring smart city of Rio de Janeiro is proving to be an interesting smart city model for cities across the world, are smart cities always the best option for informing city decisions? Could the beauty of a self-regulating open grid allow people to decide how best to use spaces in the city?
Please join us on Wednesday, February 26 at 9:00 am PT/12:00 pm ET/5:00 pm GMT for a tweet jam, that will discuss the issues around smart cities. We welcome The Open Group members and interested participants from all backgrounds to join the discussion and interact with our panel of thought-leaders including David Lounsbury, CTO and Chris Harding, Director of Interoperability from The Open Group. To access the discussion, please follow the #ogchat hashtag during the allotted discussion time.
What Is a Tweet Jam?
A tweet jam is a one-hour “discussion” hosted on Twitter. The purpose of the tweet jam is to share knowledge and answer questions on relevant and thought-provoking issues. Each tweet jam is led by a moderator and a dedicated group of experts to keep the discussion flowing. The public (or anyone using Twitter interested in the topic) is encouraged to join the discussion.
Participation Guidance
Whether you’re a newbie or veteran Twitter user, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Have your first #ogchat tweet be a self-introduction: name, affiliation, occupation.
Start all other tweets with the question number you’re responding to and add the #ogchat hashtag.
Sample: “A1: There are already a number of cities implementing tech to get smarter. #ogchat”
Please refrain from product or service promotions. The goal of a tweet jam is to encourage an exchange of knowledge and stimulate discussion.
While this is a professional get-together, we don’t have to be stiff! Informality will not be an issue.
A tweet jam is akin to a public forum, panel discussion or Town Hall meeting – let’s be focused and thoughtful.
If you have any questions prior to the event or would like to join as a participant, please contact Rob Checkal (@robcheckal or rob.checkal@hotwirepr.com). We anticipate a lively chat and hope you will be able to join!