Lighting

Smart lighting poles built to expand the internet of things in smart cities

19 June 2019
The smart lighting pole can connect WiFi and cellular signals including eventually 5G. Source: Signify

Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, has introduced a new smart lighting pole that provides a variety of internet of things (IoT) applications in one device for smart cities.

The BrightSites smart pole features always-on connectivity, cameras and environmental sensors for the urban environment for both light emitting diode (LED) lighting and 4G LTE wireless connectivity from small-cell base stations housed within the pole.

The new poles would replace standard street lights to provide revenue-generating data points, wireless connectivity hubs and environmental monitoring that can provide telecommunications and advertising for municipalities. While the smart pole can currently provide services for 4G and Wi-Fi, future iterations could include 5G services from multiple carriers transforming a normal streetlight into an important infrastructure for smart cities.

Sensors integrated into the smart pole can be used by municipalities to provide environment monitoring such as air quality, noise and incident detection as well as collect data for overall livability in urban areas, Signify said. Integrated cameras can observe road conditions in order to improve traffic flows, alert emergency responders and guide future maintenance decisions.

Other features of the smart pole include microphones that can record sounds such as breaking glass, car alarms, shouting or even gunshots. Integrated screens can display emergency messaging as well as targeted advertising boards, the company said.

To contact the author of this article, email PBrown@globalspec.com


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