US Ignite received a $250,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is working with partners in Bend, OR and Salt Lake City, UT to extend successful smart city applications to new communities. The initiative is part of US Ignite’s Replicating Success and will impact new areas in the Smart Gigabit Communities network.
In Bend, the startup Shift has deployed a virtual reality training application for healthcare workers to assist with new sanitization standards, plus patient interaction protocol in a two- and three-dimensional training environment. In Salt Lake City, faculty and students from the University of Utah developed and deployed a real-time air pollution monitoring network, including various sensors across the city used to measure air quality microclimates and detect pollution sources. Both applications will help drive key civic outcomes under the Smart Gigabit Communities network.
Since 2015, US Ignite has worked with partners to develop more than 160 smart city applications and services to solve municipal challenges. “Building on an initial cohort of eight communities, the Smart Gigabit Communities project has now expanded to a network of 35, and we’re seeing collaboration and cross-pollination among the communities continue to increase,” said Lee Davenport, Director of Community Development for US Ignite.
“Whether it’s replicating a public health service with AR technology or air sensors, exchanging guidance on data sharing practices, or comparing the effectiveness of digital inclusion programs, the US Ignite Smart and Connected Communities are the largest set of actively collaborating and sharing smart cities and regions in the nation,” Lee said.
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