Smart Cities – How can we get bridges talking?

Abstract

With the abundance of smart technology that has been developed in recent times, society is ever progressing to improve the comfort, quality and safety of our lives and the world around us. Such technological developments have resulted in great improvements in a variety of fields and have greatly enhanced our communications, leisure and health. However, much of the most fundamental infrastructure that we rely on most for our everyday needs has yet to benefit from the information technology revolution, namely civil infrastructure. From the water we use first thing in the morning to shower and brush our teeth, to the roads and bridges we use to travel, civil infrastructure is vital to our everyday lives. Not only that, but improved efficiency in all these areas is required to help protect the environment for future generations and reverse the excess that has damaged our planet in the past two centuries. There ...