Cities are much more than agglomerations of people, homes and businesses. As venues for social interaction and the engines of the modern global economy, cities can be considered almost as organisms, consuming inputs such as energy and generating outputs such as manufactured goods or IP. Cloud computing has leveraged the internet to create virtual networks for commercial and industrial computing. Can the same technology be used to streamline and enhance a city's function?
Dr. Wilfred Pinfold, chair of the Association for Computing Machinery's Smart Cities Emerging Interest Group, believes technology is the best method to create vibrant communities, deliver services and care resources, and create civic engagement. Dr. Pinfold describes the path to better cities.