September 24th, 2017
AFN Solutions is working hard on helping communities and businesses to become smarter and be future-ready. A lot is happening in 2018 in the IoT and Smart Cities are closely connected to these developments. With all of these new trends and emerging technology popping up like mushrooms, it is hard to predict where the fastest growth or rise of interest in the smart cities related IoT technologies will be?
What is happening in Smart Cities in 2018?
One of the most exciting parts of IoT and Smart Cities is that there is so much change, innovation and collaboration happening at breakneck speed.
At AFN we see a large interest being placed on laying down the foundations for the future of our cities now, leveraging mature solutions like CCTV, Wi-Fi and mobile networks.
Then, the next steps are to utilise that network to build intelligence onto – things like automation, environmental monitoring, asset management and so on. On top of this, the technology is really taking a back seat to the outcomes that are being set as goals and achievements. It’s more about the stories that can be told and less about which widgets or gadgets will be turned on.
Unsurprisingly, AFN is planning to respond to these opportunities in a variety of ways.
AFN has been a trusted partner for the foundational works in Councils and Enterprises for over 17 years, so there is a great amount of experience to draw on. This allows us to respond quickly and accurately to our client’s needs, and means that when we design a solution, we are designing it with all our team’s experience involved.
The new urban challenge
The challenge is that a lot of Councils and business don’t know much about what a ‘Smart City’ or ‘Smart Enterprise’ is, because it changes based on outcomes and needs. Although many clients know they need to do something, they are not always sure on what that ‘something’ is. That’s what we are here for!
Specifically, we have procured some brand new video analytics software to trial. We have some incredible sensors and software being tested, we have new development resources joining our team, and we have even commissioned our very own FarmBot here at AFN.
Undeniably, it looks as though in 2018, businesses will need to be a lot more proactive to survive. A big change is coming, and it will force companies and government to react whether they like it or not.