- Wireless and fixed broadband
- Smart cities and communities
- English
- Louis-Ray Harris
- Mikaila Collymore
Advanced
Description
This course is an advanced-level course in smart city design. It focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects of specific technologies that are required when developing smart city solutions.
There is a detailed look at the communications infrastructure that forms the backbone of information and communication technologies (ICTs), which are key factors that determine the effectiveness with which smart cities can be managed and maintained. There will also be an overview of different sensors that are commonly considered for smart city implementation. The role of the built environment, which includes buildings, street furniture, foliage, etc., is also covered, and participants will gain an appreciation of the role played by construction material and other parameters in radiofrequency (RF) propagation, which enables wireless communication networks to transmit information between multiple locations.
This course aims to provide information about theoretical and practical considerations at different stages in the development of smart cities. It targets intermediate and senior personnel in Government offices, regulatory authorities, and public and private entities that are responsible for proposing and installing solutions for smart cities. Members of academia and others in related research fields will also benefit from this course.
Participants should ideally:
- Have a basic understanding of ICT networks and basic communications systems
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Establish links between population demographics and services that are required in a smart city.
- Recognize the different ways that signals may be transmitted over a network.
- Differentiate between different kinds of networks and determine which network is suited for different scenarios.
- Assess factors that impact the placement of data acquisition devices when measuring different parameters.
- Devise a plan for implementing basic smart city technologies.
The objectives of this training course will be achieved over 21 days, starting with a brief quiz (MCQ) to determine the initial understanding of the participants before the first session . At the start of the course, reading material will be made available on the platform along with a simple pre-quiz for participants to complete before the first synchronous session. There will be five 2.5-hr synchronous sessions via the Zoom platform. The first, third, and fifth sessions will be followed by the posting of individual assignments on the platform to assess the participants’ understanding of the content covered. There will also be 2-3 MCQ quizzes throughout the duration of the course. On the last day of the course, there will be a final test which will remain available for 2-3 days. In addition, for the duration of the course, all participants are required to contribute to online discussion forums, which will be graded.
The course will use a combination of PowerPoint slides that present relevant background information and theory related to different topics pertaining to the design and development of smart cities. Several scenarios will be covered in a series of activities to engage the participants. A case study will be presented to show an example of the implementation of different components of different cities. The graded quizzes will be used to assess the degree to which participants have improved their understanding of the material presented. Participation will be required for all synchronous sessions, and this contributes 5% of the final grade.
A total score higher than 70% is required to obtain the ITU certificate. The course will be assessed as follows:
Attendance 5%
- Attendance and participation during Zoom sessions.
Discussion Forum Participation 15%
- Participant posts at least five (5) responses to comments made by the tutor for each topic covered during the sessions.
Assignments / Quizzes 30%
- Successful completion of this component will require the participant to complete and submit quizzes and assignments that are posted throughout the course.
Final Test 50%
- Thirty (30) MCQ questions randomly presented from a bank of questions. To be completed within a specified time provided after it is posted on the course platform.
Day 1 (June 25)
Part A: Population Demographics & Smart City Services
Key learning points
- Who are end-users of smart city systems
- Identification of critical/non-critical needs of end-users
- What services are required in smart cities?
Training activities details
General reading material made available for participants to begin to engage course content. A pre-quiz will be made available for completion before the first synchronous session.
Day 1 (June 25)
Part B: Information and Signal Theory - Basics of Signal Parameters and Data - Considerations for a Smart Ecosystem
Key learning points
- Introduction to signals
- Characteristics of smart city data
- Data acquisition in urban and rural spaces
- Bandwidth and data capacity - Designing for different applications
- Data Management/Storage
Training activities details
Series of PowerPoint slides that incorporate a mixture of theory and videos. There will be at least one (1) assigned slot for group discussions (approximately 10-15 min each).
Day 2 (June 27)
Smart City Infrastructure: Communications Networks
Key learning points
- Introduction to basic network concepts (wired and wireless)
- Radiofrequency (RF) propagation and the ITU
- RF propagation and the built environment
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Vehicle networks (e.g., V2X)
Training activities details
Brief review of Sessions 1 and 2, followed by PowerPoint slides focusing on smart city infrastructure. There will be assigned slots for group discussions and case studies.
Day 3 (July 2)
Smart City Infrastructure: Sensors
Key learning points
- Key objects and parameters
- Introduction to sensors
- Determining sensor specifications
- Data acquisition considerations
- Sensor integration and deployment
Training activities details
Series of PowerPoint slides with theory and videos to demonstrate concepts covered.
Day 4 (July 4)
Case Studies
- Examples of smart city sensor application
- Air Quality
- Water
- Security
- Health
- Traffic Management Systems
- Summary of challenges faced during sensor implementation
Training activities details
Series of slides with case studies to inform participants about actual deployment in real-world cases along with practical issues that have been faced in different cases.
Day 5 (July 9)
Practical Considerations when Going Smart
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Implications for:
- SDG goals
- Developers, planners, utilities, and end users
- Policy and legislation
- Climate change and smart design
- Smart Transition
Registration information
Unless specified otherwise, all ITU Academy training courses are open to all interested professionals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, economic status and other diverse backgrounds. We strongly encourage registrations from female participants, and participants from developing countries. This includes least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries.