Internet of Things & Smart Cities

Atlanta, like other metro centers, is striving to become a “smart city” via the latest technological innovations. However, with some of the city’s infrastructure over 100 years old, it faces challenges that planners hope to resolve through an integrated technology approach. To date, Atlanta has implemented numerous newer and emerging technologies as part of its smart initiative. These include environmental sensors, video analytics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, real-time situational awareness tools, big data management, traffic management tools, smart lighting, and smart waste management. The city has planned deployments of technologies including radar detection, dedicated short-range communications, autonomous vehicles, and connected vehicle systems.

Governor Cuomo Taking Applications To Test Self Driving Cars

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state is now taking applications to test self-driving cars on public roadways. The program requires licensees to have a $5 million insurance policy. Cars must also pass federal and New York automotive safety standards and all test reports must be submitted to the state by March of next year.

Worry Over Killer Robots

 

Christof Heyns, U.N. special rapporteur on executions, says that unmanned robotic weapons systems with varying degrees of autonomy and deadliness were being tested or used by the United States, Britain and Israel without debate on moraI and legal issues.  Heyns presented a 22-page report on “lethal autonomous robotics”, due to be discussed at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on May 29. He warned that adding robots to arsenals would bring a new dimension as they would take targeting decisions themselves, which could “open an even larger Pandora’s box. He also questioned whether robots would be capable of complying with its requirements, including the need to distinguish between civilians and combatant