This growth raises major challenges in relation to individual and public mobility, physical security of persons and infrastructures, resource and waste management, urban development and the life quality of citizens. The objective of this research program is to provide responses to these challenges based on the possibilities of the newest information and communication technologies.

From Smart Events to Smart Cities 

Cities being extremely rich and complex spaces, the first phase of iNUIT is dedicated to Smart Events. Big events, such as music festivals, sport events or political summits provide many of the characteristics and challenges of entire cities, but concentrated in space and time.

In particular, transportation and mobility, physical security, resource and waste management, as well as the urban planning are city-related issues that present themselves on a smaller scale during big events and are therefore more easily observable and measurable. 

The Internet of Things

The principal objective of this 3-year research program is to establish a technological «spine» of this new urban space, based on the paradigm of the Internet of Things (IoT). It equally aims at advancing the state of the art of this technology, which still raises many challenges. Most importantly, it is the issues related to security, trust and privacy must be taken into consideration. The goal is to find equilibrium between the need to provide useful information to decision-makers and citizens and the minimization of the intrusion in the private life of individuals.