What’s a “smart city”?

It’s a fair question, but a hard one to answer.

Many larger municipalities have embraced the “smart city” concept in recent years, but definitions of the term — and examples of the ways technology is being used to make cities “smart” — run the gamut. Mayors and city CIOs usually talk about using sensors to, say, wirelessly manage streetlights and traffic signals to lower energy costs, and they can provide specific returns on investment for such initiatives — x millions of dollars saved over x amount of time, for example.

Other examples include using sensors to monitor water mains for leaks (and thereby reduce repair costs), or to monitor air quality for high pollution levels (which would yield information that would help people with asthma plan their days). Police can use video sensors to manage crowds or spot crimes. Or sensors might determine that a parking lot is full, and then trigger variable-message street signs to direct drivers to other lots.

Read more on Network World.