Qualcomm Technologies Advances Smart City Solutions

By 2050, some 68 percent of the world population will live in urban environments, according to the UN. To help address the needs of growing urban populations, cities are going to need to get “smarter” with infrastructure, energy, transportation, and buildings. Fortunately, with the advent of wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G LTE and small cells, cities can develop sustainable solutions that enhance efficiency, health, and safety for residents.

The makings of tomorrow’s smart cities are already visible today, and Qualcomm Technologies is helping to pave the way by creating the technology that connects these solutions to the internet of things (IoT). Here are some examples of smart city solutions that have already been deployed around Qualcomm’s hometown of San Diego, California.

Conserving water with connected metering

In a drought-prone state such as California, conserving water is a top priority for most municipalities. By partnering with Qualcomm Technologies, the coastal city of Carlsbad deployed cellular connected digital water meters to give residents access to water use data. By better tracking water usage through digital technology, in the first six months alone Carlsbad residents collectively conserved 16 million gallons of water — enough to fill more than 24 Olympic-sized swimming pools — while saving $200,000 on water bills.

Getting back to business during a pandemic with smart health screening devices

Using OneScreen GoSafe scanners that are made with Qualcomm Technologies, businesses can monitor the health of their employees and customers in a safe and touch-free way. Local businesses in the San Diego area – including Qualcomm, Fluid Sound, and Hungry’s Kitchen and Tap – have already implemented these smart scanners to check employee and customer temperatures, scan for masks and assist with contact tracing if there were ever a known COVID exposure. The device can be used without any touching making for a safer environment for everyone.

Other programs that are currently being rolled out include smartboards in classrooms (imagine replacing the traditional whiteboard with an interactive digital tool that also allows for students to collaborate and connect virtually while others are present in the classroom), along with smart helmets and even Smart Coveralls that could be key to improving and ensuring safety at work, especially related to construction and manufacturing.  Yet, this only begins to scratch the surface of what can be accomplished by smart city solutions.

The cities of our future will include smart campuses, transportation, infrastructure, common spaces, manufacturing, and smart security that bring more safety, efficiency, and smaller environmental impacts to our planet. With the rollout of 5G and the increased connectivity/speed it brings, the possibilities are truly endless. As the world population moves to live in urban environments putting increasing pressure on cities resources, developing smarter and more sustainable solutions to leverage efficiencies is key.

Learn more about Qualcomm’s smart city solutions and Smart Cities Accelerator Program.