Future Cities UK: Unlocking Tomorrow's Cities

Future Cities Catapault is a UK-based centre which supports the development of new products and services specifically to promote and develop ideas, products and technologies to advance the future of our cities.

The future cities of tomorrow are being developed today, with many diverse projects being undertaken in their City Labs.

Sensing London is one such project which is essentially a living laboratory where various aspects of London and the environment are being measured so that the data can be analysed to essentially make London a better place to live in.

Five ‘living laboratories’ have been created across London in Hyde Park, Brixton, Enfield, Elephant and Castle and Tower Bridge where sensors measure a range of parameters including air quality and human activity.

Sensors these days don’t just mean CCTV cameras which we see everywhere around the urban landscape. Sensors are being used to measure and record many things which will assist with traffic movement through to garbage collection.

Imagine having the sort of data readily available that would enable people with serious allergies to move around the city at a better time of day or avoid certain routes which may have high levels of pollution?Data will help our cities be better places, monitor and direct key infrastructure, automate key services, anticipate equipment issues and failures, and importantly, be readily available to all.