Smart cities need thick data, not big data

In Barcelona, high-tech data platforms generate demand for old-fashioned community development.Residents living aroundPla ça del Sol joke that theirs is the only square where, despite the name, rain is preferable. Rain means fewer people gather to socialise and drink, reducing noise for the flats overlooking the square. Residents know this with considerable precision because they ’ve developed a digital platform for measuring noise levels and mobilising action. I was told the joke by Remei, one of the residents who, with her ‘citizen scientist’ neighbours, are challenging assumptions about Big Data and the Smart City.Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - April 18, 2018 Category: Science Authors: Adrian Smith Tags: Science Smart cities Source Type: news