Singapore: The World’s Smartest City

What does a smart city look like on the streets and in the houses of Singapore, given that we already know what they look like in New York and Antwerp?

The Smart City Concept in Singapore

With a perfect 100 on the IMD’s first-ever Smart City Index, Singapore has proven itself to be the world’s most technologically advanced metropolis.

The country’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled the Smart Nation programme in 2014, and three years later, the government invested SGD$2.4 billion (about US$1.73 billion) to further its goals. The country has implemented numerous intelligent technologies in both its public and private sectors.

The ultimate goal is to build a city where cutting-edge digital technologies are used to meet the varied demands of its residents.

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Here are 5 ways in which Singapore’s cityscape is evolving:

1.The importance of mobility as a community-wide phenomenon

The percentage of land dedicated to transportation infrastructure in dense Singapore is surprisingly low, at just 12 percent.

The Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*Star) has developed an autonomous fleet to assist the elderly and the disabled in the city’s ability to go around by maximising transit efficiency through the use of sensor technologies.

At the same time, a self-driving shuttle transports students throughout the National University of Singapore campus.

Electronic road pricing in the city-state allows for the incorporation of real-time traffic data into the setting of toll rates and the regulation of gridlock.

And that’s not all.

Public data, sometimes known as “open data,” is being used in a pilot programme to improve transportation planning. Data is evaluated from a variety of sources, including fare cards, the sensors in over 5,000 vehicles, and the real-time tracking of buses.

In what way? Overcrowding on buses has decreased by 92% as a result of the pilot.

The 7.5 million people who utilise public transportation every day are seeing the benefits of contactless payment technology. Commuters in several cities now have the option of using contactless payment methods like credit cards or mobile wallets.

These are but a few of Singapore’s various transportation initiatives.

In addition, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) and the Intelligent Transportation Society of Singapore have collaborated on a project called Smart Mobility 2020 to improve commuting conditions through the creation of smarter transportation networks.

Meanwhile, the Travel Smart Programme has three main goals to improve the efficiency of the rail network during the morning peak travel time: mobilising public retrospection

times of travel, modes of transportation (for instance, taking up cycling), and distance travelled (encouraging working remotely).

2.People are healthier overall

In Singapore, about half of the population will be 65 or older by the year 2050.

Singapore has digitised its healthcare system to ease the burden of an ageing population on the city’s support networks.

An all-encompassing digital platform, Singapore’s e-health programme seeks to increase the standard of treatment provided and the ease with which it may be accessed throughout the country. Healthcare providers, technology businesses, and patients are all active participants in this programme, which is being led by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

In order to provide patients with a consistent healthcare experience, the e-health platform is made up of a number of interconnected parts. The following are examples of important parts:

HealthHub is an online portal for patients to take charge of their health and fitness. The system enables users to do things like schedule doctor’s visits, reorder medications, and view their medical histories.

With the use of telemedicine, patients can have virtual doctor visits using tools like video conferencing and texting. Those who have trouble getting around or who reside distant from medical facilities may benefit greatly from this.

Patients can do their rehabilitation at home with the help of telerehabilitation thanks to the use of Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets worn by the patients that track their progress and send that information to their therapists wirelessly.

The use of robots is making Singapore a more sociable place, especially for the country’s older population.

I don’t understand how that could happen.

The elderly can have conversations with ‘chatbots’ powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to learn about events in their area and receive tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The Smart Elderly Alert System is driven by artificial intelligence (AI), so it can learn a user’s routines and send an alert to a caretaker if something out of the norm happens.

3. “There’s an app for that”

Because of the proliferation of smartphones, this expression has become common parlance; in Singapore, where 90% of the population reportedly has one, it is particularly apt.

The Singaporean government has created a smartphone app called Smart Nation so that its inhabitants have a centralised location from which to access numerous governmental resources. The goal of this app is to make it easier for residents to interact with the government by providing a centralised location from where they can access a wide variety of useful resources.

The Smart Nation app has the following features:

Access to Government Services: The app facilitates the development of a digital identity that can be used to access a variety of government services, such as the acquisition of licences and permits.

Services Offered by the Government The app allows users to access a variety of government services, such as paying fines, renewing passports, and reserving government buildings.

Commentary and Reporting: Users of the app can offer suggestions and file reports about problems like littering and malfunctioning public utilities.

Customised Content: The app tailors content, such nearby events and news stories, to the individual user depending on their location and interests.

The software keeps the user up-to-date on local situations, such as traffic accidents and natural disasters, in real time.

In sum, the Smart Nation app is a vital resource for the people of Singapore, allowing them to easily engage with the government and have access to vital resources.

4. Promoting commercial success

Located in Punggol, the Singapore Institute of Technology and a business park have come together to form the Punggol Digital Area.

Through improving communication and collaboration between business and research institutions, this neighbourhood hopes to speed up progress in cybersecurity and Internet of Things technology.

The Data Innovation Project Office, a data-sharing cooperative, was also set up to promote openness in commercial dealings. With the introduction of CorpPass, a central online centre designed to improve the city’s so-called “cyber hygiene,” businesses that deal directly with the government may do so with more ease.

5. Educating Oneself to Be Intelligent

Under its TechSkills Accelerator programme, Singapore is employing AI in the classroom. The country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Agency, Singapore, is spearheading two programmes, AI for Everyone and AI for Industry, which will help train 12,000 workers and students in AI.

These programmes actively promote people’ participation in making their community “digitally ready” for the future.

In addition to these cutting-edge technologies, Singapore also boasts a digital national identity system, a Smart National Sensor Platform, and Virtual Singapore, a three-dimensional digital representation of the city that can be used for simulations and future planning.