Teams of students have spent two days figuring out new ideas and tools for smart cities based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology at a recently held hackathon, which was hosted by the University of Wollongong’s SMART Infrastructure Facility (SMART), in Australia.
According to a recent press release, the hackathon challenged contestants to develop solutions that are not only smart, but also connect and work seamlessly with others in order to contribute to future-proofing of digital technology used in cities.
Developing new solutions through a hackathon
The two-day event gave 50 students and IT enthusiasts the opportunity to discover and develop truly interoperable solutions.
The hackathon aims to imagine new applications that a smart city could offer its local residents, businesses and council managers.
These applications should be based on interoperability and future proofing principles, using the international oneM2M standard.
The objective is to design, deploy, and integrate new physical sensors into the SMART Infrastructure Facility building.
Then, these sensors will have to interact with a Virtual Reality model of the building.
Schedule of events
The two-day OM2M Hackathon was executed in collaboration with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and LAAS-CNRS (France).
Day 1 involved a developer tutorial using the open-source OM2M platform, developed at LAAS – CRNS.
Day 2, meanwhile, saw the participants form teams to come up with a great idea for a Smart Building application and work with others to learn new technologies, present ideas and compete for prizes.
Other projects
The Internet of Things enables access to a free-to-air digital network that links to small devices, such as sensors, to collect and transmit data for a host of real-time applications.
SMART’s Digital Living Lab have several IoT projects that are well underway. An example of which is working with wheelchair users to create digital maps specifically for wheelchair users.
Another project is using low-cost sensors to map the hazardous smoke from prescribed bushfire burns in the Sydney basin.
OpenGov Asia had earlier reported on Two NSW Smart City initiatives recognised for improving quality of life.
Initiatives led by the University of Wollongong were recognised with awards from the Sydney Smart City Awards.
The Best Community Initiative award was given to the Digital Living Lab while the Best Local Government Initiative was given to the Smart Pedestrian Project.
Showcasing IT innovations
In other news, the University’s Information Management and Technology Services (IMTS) hosted The Higher Education Technology Agenda (THETA) 2019, which is regarded as the number one biennial conference in Australasia promoting the intelligent use of IT in higher education and research.
With the theme, ‘The Tipping Point’, it reflects such magic moments when innovations in the use of information technology cross a threshold and spread like wildfire.
The conference is a tremendous opportunity for University staff and higher degree research students to showcase innovations, research and collaborations.
Moreover, it could lead the way for new partnerships, networks and strategic opportunities.