KCMO creates live-viewing platform of smart city data
February 8, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Officially launched about nine months ago, the Kansas City Smart City initiative has produced as much enthusiasm as it has technological possibilities.
The $15.7 million public-private project — which has transformed Kansas City’s downtown into a lab of Wi-Fi connectivity on and around the 2.2-mile streetcar line — is now further empowering citizens. The City of Kansas City, Mo. announced Tuesday that it’s released a public facing window into the smart city data it collects from sensors along the streetcar line.
Powered by urban data and collaboration platform Xaqt, the city’s new interactive website provides citizens live and historical information on the streetcar, traffic flow and parking availability in downtown. In the platform’s live view, parking density is represented by grey columns denoting occupied parking spots or green columns showing available spots. The live view also allows one to see average traffic speeds to indicate congestion.
The announcement arrived Tuesday during a national conference city tech officials are hosting at Think Big with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. With discussions on data collection, smart city challenges and working on corporate partners, the conference is hosting about 100 officials from around the nation.
Kansas City officially kicked off its smart city project in May of 2016. Via a Sprint Wi-Fi network stretching more than 50 square blocks in downtown, the project will provide a variety of information to citizens while also collecting data on their behavior in downtown.
The project is a collaboration between Kansas City, Sprint, Cisco and Think Big Partners. Kansas City signed an agreement with Sprint and Cisco in June to create the largest smart city in North America with the intention to improve municipal services. The project also includes 125 “smart” streetlights along the streetcar line and 25 touchscreen kiosks that offer information on city services, nearby restaurants and real-time information collected from smart city sensors.
Kansas City Mayor Sly James previously said that the project is an open invitation to innovators from around the world to test various technologies on Kansas City’s smart city framework. Think Big’s Living Lab initiative will serve as the testing hub for entrepreneurs’ smart city ideas.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
RECAP: 1 Million Cups focuses on time with Mixtape, Flowh
There was a theme at today’s 1 Million Cups KC, and it was time. Two startups presented their businesses, both at different stages, and both in different industries, but both dealing with time — how we remember it and how we manage it. Mixtape founder Joel Johnson was first to present his firm, which created…
Lean Lab eyes $25K in national pitch contest
The Lean Lab, a Kansas City-based education innovation incubator, is hoping to strike gold in a national pitch competition in California. The organization on Wednesday will be pitching its model in the Teach For America Social Innovation Awards, an annual competition in which the Lean Lab hopes to snag a $25,000 prize. Lean Lab is the…
6 ways to be a startup community hero (for non-entrepreneurs)
Melissa Roberts, marketing director of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County, shares how those interested in helping the startup community can effectively engage entrepreneurs. In my work at an entrepreneurial service non-profit in Kansas City, I get to meet many passionate, community-minded people each day. Often, those people have no connection to our startup community, other than…
Major network provider taps SquareOffs for ‘Rant Offs’
SquareOffs recently landed a client that may place its web-based debate technology in front of millions of more people. The company partnered with digital media network Rant Inc. to offer its online debate and polling tech to engage Rant’s readers and increase their advertising revenue. “It’s one of the bigger contracts that we’re apart of,”…