The future of urban living is changing.
Until recently, city leaders primarily saw digital technology as something they could use to become more efficient behind the scenes. Although this is a step in the right direction, it’s only scratching the surface.
As cities continue to grow larger and become smarter, they’re going to need a more intelligent infrastructure to keep up with modern life’s changing demands. Outdoor technology can be used as a catalyst to transform these urban environments on several different levels.
From public safety announcements and updates, traffic monitoring, right down to air quality, we can empower communities and their inhabitants to thrive within a better, more connected urban nervous system.
Amscreen want to be the driving force for that transformation, encouraging more decision-makers to ‘think outside the screen’. So, we’ve decided to reposition ourselves in 2021.
What puts the “smart” in smart city?
Smart cities utilise data and technology to make informed decisions, tackle public problems, and improve their inhabitants’ surroundings.
By connecting technology and devices, applications, and even people, city municipals, media owners, and telecommunication companies can work together to achieve a better quality of life for everybody.
But where does outdoor technology come into all this?
Creating one fluid ecosystem for communities
The way we communicate with the people around us may have shifted over time, but the reasons why we want to stay connected remain the same: social equity and the need to feel included.
Technology has become fundamental in how we do this. Although cities can utilise digital tools to empower communities by providing access and inclusion to all, they can also use them to become more efficient behind the scenes.
Alongside providing public Wi-Fi, wayfinding touchscreens, travel updates, and a platform to share local information, Amscreen are committed to exploring and developing new ways that outdoor technology can create value for cities and people.
In addition to providing our own solutions, we welcome opportunities to collaborate with third parties, either directly or by sharing data, to connect the isolated data points and create one smart ecosystem.
Using technology to reduce city growing pains
As cities expand and populations become denser, the pressure on councils and city leaders to combat the accompanying ‘growing pains’ rises.
Making our surroundings safer, healthier and more sustainable are key examples of this.
Amscreen’s products can be built into new and existing environments to continuously monitor their surroundings, including pollution levels, traffic levels, and noise. In turn, cities can use insights like these to implement smarter, more efficient, and lower-cost solutions.
As for safer streets, we provide a platform to alert the public to critical safety announcements and connect them to the emergency services if required. The value of this has become even more apparent in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
We also work with several partners to integrate the latest solar panel technology, providing lighting in urban spaces as and when it’s needed.
Cutting through the digital noise with powerful data
Although the progression of digital technology has presented us with multiple platforms to reach audiences, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to cut through the noise and catch their attention.
That is why the needs of these audiences must be better understood, allowing us to target them at the right place and time with advertising content that is both relevant and engaging.
Our Remote Device Management (RDM®) technology plays a vital part in this. It’s installed into every single one of our products, sending real-time insights and data from over 250 sensors directly to our analytics suite. RDM® ensures that our inventory is easy-to-manage and always on, providing complete transparency, trust, and maximum uptime to clients.
Think outside the screen: working together for a better future
For smart cities to develop, more collaboration between technology providers and the out-of-home environments they sit in will be required.
How digital street furniture is designed in the future will play a fundamental role in this, and it will need to do more than simply display advertising if it’s truly going to benefit communities.
We recognise the crucial part Amscreen plays in this journey and embrace opportunities to work with partners to create a much-improved experience for everyone involved.