Urban growth and the role of applications

How can applications provide the solutions we require?

Urbanization and urban growth represent major challenges for cities across the world. Urbanization can be defined as the population’s shifting from rural areas to urban areas over a period of time. Urban growth is an overall increase in the population living in urban settlements. As the inhabitants of cities continue to grow, this is likely to present major problems for city planners and the citizens themselves in terms of livability and resources.

In the face of the growing problem of mass urbanization and increased urban growth, smart cities and the use of technology have emerged as viable solutions. Smart cities utilize data and technology to improve the quality of life of citizens. One of the three layers of “smartness” for a city, as outlined in a report by McKinsey & Company, is the usage of data intelligence in applications and other technologies.

Sector-focused applications that utilize data and artificial intelligence are likely to become more widely adopted going forward in the face of population growth. Here are some sectors that are expected to see significant improvement due to the usage of applications:

1. Healthcare: As the population continues to grow, pollution and related diseases, pandemics, and other unforeseeable illnesses are expected to rise. To combat this, applications can improve the ability of doctors to administer care and monitor their patients. These include applications such as those currently being developed to monitor patients with chronic illnesses remotely. New technology is also being created by linking readings on various instruments such as thermometers to mobile applications. These and other future technologies can significantly reduce the strain on healthcare services in cities.

• Mobility: The way we move and commute around our cities will be severely affected by an increase in population. In light of this, numerous applications have been created to help solve issues surrounding urban mobility. Through the use of smart-city applications, it is estimated that cities will be able to cut commute time by 15 to 20%. Autonomous vehicles, integrated multi-modal information, real-time public transit, and navigation information are just some of the services that we are now able to access through applications.

Citility is one such application that offers all of the above services and provides solutions informed by AI. Our platform allows users to avoid congestion through route optimization, which is essential as the population continues to increase. Our multi-modal platform uses route intelligence to map out your city and plot the most efficient way to commute. With the environment in mind, our application offers solutions to the current and forthcoming issues surrounding urban mobility.

• Community engagement: Due to urban growth and urbanization, further concerns in maintaining cities and the communication between their inhabitants will arise. Applications have already emerged to connect locals to their city officials and provide forums for debates on which problems in specific neighborhoods need to be fixed. Such local civic engagement and digital service applications can provide a two-way communication channel between citizens and officials. Officials can then use technological solutions to determine the best way forward.

As shown above, applications can play a critical role in how societies cope with urban growth and urbanization across multiple sectors. Within each sector, the responsibility rests on citizens to actively engage in the technological solutions that are likely to be presented. One of the first things a citizen can do is to alter the way they commute, which remains the primary sector disrupted by a population increase.

By using Citility, citizens and organizations can optimize their journeys from point A to point B through our multi-modal platform, which is driven by AI. We offer a range of services, including live updates on traffic, air quality, and safety which help inform your professional and personal mobility decisions. Begin the change and let Citility improve your life and the life of your city!

References:

1. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/operations/our%20insights/smart%20cities%20digital%20solutions%20for%20a%20more%20livable%20future/mgi-smart-cities-full-report.pdf
2. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/urbanization-and-urban-growth.php#:~:text=Urban%20growth%20is%20characterized%20by,rural%20areas%20into%20urban%20areas.
3. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/10/for-world-population-day-a-look-at-the-countries-with-the-biggest-projected-gains-and-losses-by-2100/
4. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350537538_Smart_Environmental_Solution_for_Modern_Urbanization_using_Mobile_Application
5. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/mobile-apps-emerging-essential-population-health-tools
6. https://www.foreseemed.com/population-health-management
7. https://smartcity.press/smart-city-apps/
8. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/smart-cities-digital-solutions-for-a-more-livable-future
9. https://www.guarana-technologies.com/tech-trends/impact-smart-cities/
10. https://interactions.acm.org/archive/view/november-december-2020/how-mobile-media-impacts-urban-life
11. https://futureiot.tech/smart-city-apps-improve-quality-of-life/
12. https://stefanini.com/en/trends/news/5-ways-smart-cities-improve-the-urban-quality-of-life