Adding more options and functionalities to SmartCitizen will ensure its being used by a larger number of citizens. In addition to censored data, I am interested in enabling a layer of physical objects to the platform. I am proposing the use of RFID technology. Below are some examples of projects where we can use tagged objects and reader units, that detect the presence of the tagged object and map it on the platform.
1. A citizen based bike/moto parking:
How does that work?
1. Fablab fabricates bike station units that has embedded RFID reader.
2. A campaign is made to encourage bikers to come to fablab and make their own tags.
3. Stations will appear on the system with its location and maximum capacity of bikes.
4. When a tagged bike is there, it appears on the system, so bikers can tell how many slots are left and whether they can park or not.
We can start by a couple of stations in dense areas. If the people liked it, they will use it and request more (and fund it!).
I don’t know how bicing works, but if it doesn’t have something similar, then it needs one.
Of course, I am not talking about creating new stations, just simply applying the system to existing parkings:
2. Recycling stations:
Similar to the above, SmatCitizen can contribute to encouraging re-use and recycling, by creating SmartCitizen recycling stations. Stations could be placed in second hand markets (Glorias, Sants, where else?). Through a simple campaign, we encourage citizens to make their own tags and link it to the objects they want to place in the station. If a tagged object is near, then it is “checked in”. We can make different categories of objects (electronics, fabric, books, etc) and assign cards of different frequencies to each one, so they are mapped with different colors on the map, or we can simply make different stations for each kind of objects. Tags will be reused, of course.
//More to follow.