Smart Cities and Sustainable Development Goals

A smart city is a technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data. Information gained from that data is used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve operations across the city.

Responsible development/implementation of smart city solutions and technologies could contribute to the progress toward SDGs. Mainly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The benefits of implementing Smart City solutions include accelerating economic growth, improving efficiency, strengthening innovation, and raising citizen awareness. These benefits indicate that smart cities could catalyze the transition to sustainable development and address climate change challenges. 

Challenge:

The objective of this event is to invite tech enthusiasts, developers, and innovators to design groundbreaking solutions for a Smarter City through a rapid pace development. These solutions can help improve smart city innovation and implementation, build capacity within the city government, and engage citizens in the planning process.

Participants should work on ideas that can be implemented in the real world. Therefore, an innovative solution with a functional prototype related to one of the challenges below is expected:

• Smart Buildings - Develop a solution that uses data in order to reduce costs, make more efficient processes or enhance building's features in areas like water management, energy management, waste management, lighting, access control, HVAC, and repair and maintenance.
• Smart Mobility - Develop an original application that solves mobility issues such as finding parking spaces, reduction of traffic congestion or reduction of vehicle's emissions.
• Smarter healthcare for elderly people - Develop a user-centric solution that addresses health challenges faced by elderly city dwellers. Focus on improving accessibility, promoting healthy living, or providing emergency support.
• Smart Security - Create an effective and user-friendly system that empowers citizens to connect with emergency services (like 911) for various situations (crime reporting, medical emergencies, fire, floods). Emphasize features that encourage widespread community participation.

Solutions developed should adapt one or any of the following technologies:

• AI and Machine Learning (Vision, Voice, Vibration)
• Cloud Computing
• IoT and embedded systems
• Mobile and Web application development
• Connectivity: cellular, LPWAN, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
• Edge computing

Guidelines

• Registration is completely free.
• The rights of the work done during the hackathon remains to be owned by the developers of the solution.
• Bring your own equipment - Participants are required to have their own computers and other development devices for participation in the competition. 20 Raspberry Pi Picos will be available and will be given for use to participants who will be developing on the microcontroller on a first come first serve basis.
• Teams must be physically present to be judged.
• Teams can start working on their solutions before the final day of the competition. Teams that provide their project description will have preference.
• Teams must have at least 3 participants and a maximum of 5.
• The number of participants is limited. In the case of the number of applications greater than the limit of Participants, the Organizer reserves the right to invite only chosen persons who have completed the registration form. The accepted Participants will be informed by email at the address indicated in the registration form.
• Participants will apply to the competition individually or in teams. Participants who apply individually will be put in teams of up to 5 people. The teams will be formed to combine people from different universities/organizations with various skills and specializations.
• The Organizers plans dissemination of the Participants' images, in the form of photographs, audio or audio-video recordings made during the competition as well as during the announcement of results and the awarding of prizes. Organizers can use a Participant's image for promotional and marketing activity, including posting and publishing it in social media or printed promotional materials. Participants give their consent for such an image dissemination by accepting the Rules and Regulations.