More about the Intel Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Cities

After my recent post about graduate research opportunities at the Intel Collaborative Research Institute on Sustainable, Connected Cities, I came across additional information about the project. The following is quoted from Charles Sheridan's 5/24/12 post, Announcing the Intel Collaborative  Research Institute for Sustainable Cities:

"We aim to create new, cross cutting inter-disciplinary “Systems of Systems” Cities research  methodology to understand key city challenges and technology opportunities."

Charlie Sheridan is the principal investigator of the ICRI Sustainable Connected Cities project, described in more detail in the  following video:

Some of the questions the Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Cities plans to investigate, as outlined by Sheridan (below),  are ones that probably need to be articulated for the general public,  not just  techies.  By taking an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to research, this might just happen.

"How can technology “sustain sustainable behaviours”?"

"How can technology enable ubiquitous integrated services?"

"How do we protect privacy, security and disconnection in a city of a billion sensors?"

"Who pays? Who repairs?  Who Profits?"

"How can you design and evaluate connected and sustainable services and user-centred information for diverse needs of city dwellers?"

"How do you engage city communities to participate in developing technological innovations that will improve their environment, transport systems and local services?"

My favorite:

"What novel interfaces and interactions are required to encourage participation of citizens, business and government?"

This is a serious, large-scale endeavor.  I planned on wrapping up this post with a few pictures from my vast archive of examples of technology "out-and-about", but in doing so, came across a few photos that demonstrate, in a slightly humorous way, why this research effort is important:

Let's throw up a large-screen display to make the recycling process at the food court less complicated!

Let's stick these kiosks and displays over there and watch what doesn't happen!

Let's throw up everything on this display and see if it makes sense to the mom with a toddler in tow!

Let's get great-grandma (my mom) and the toddler (my grandson) together for some Internet-connected HDTV DVR DVD family viewing experience!  

Let's just  give toddlers iPads and see what happens!

(This little one gets to "play" with an iPad just once a week.)

I see endless possibilities here for the future of our cities!

Every little flower I planted yesterday came with a QR code. Are  these biodegradable or recyclable?

I quickly learned that garden dirt and QR codes don't mix.  It was much easier to read the informational text about my vincas on my iPhone, but I wasn't sure about exposing my iPhone to all the  dirt, water, and  beating sun.  FYI: Gardening:  QR Codes can be a Gardener's Best Friend

T-shirt slogan: 

"This was supposed to be future:  Where is my jetpack?"