This week’s Smart City roundup features a report on the smart city market, a technology platform for smart infrastructure, and a new patent for invisible bar codes.

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Smart city market value to reach $1.565 trillion in 2020

A new report from consulting firm Frost & Sullivan predicts that over 26 global cities are expected to be smart cities by 2025 with 50 percent of these cities coming from North America and Europe. It is also expected the 58 percent of the world population will be living in urban areas. By 2020, the smart city market will be valued at $1.565 trillion.

Ivan Fernandez, Industry Director for Frost & Sullivan Australia & New Zealand, stated that cities will be driving smart city innovation by entering into a partnership with other cities.

“Technology and ecosystem convergence, collaboration and partnerships between stakeholders from different industries, such as energy and infrastructure, IT, telecoms and government will also expedite the delivery of integrated services,” Fernandez stated.

A new gold standard for utilities

Aclara Technologies LLC announced the launch of iiDEAS (Intelligent Infrastructure: Data, Efficiency, Analytics and Services) Operational Data Management System, which is a pivotal technology platform that allows utilities to realize the full potential of true Smart Infrastructure Solutions (SIS).

“A smart infrastructure environment is the new ‘gold standard’ for utilities, and Aclara is committed to be the global leader in this space,” said Allan Connolly, CEO at Aclara.

The iiDEAS platform provides a centralized repository to aggregate data collected from multiple sources such as meter-reading networks, sensors, back-office systems, geospatial information systems (GIS), and weather feeds. The platform will also facilitate utility solutions such as loss analysis, voltage analysis, power billing, demand management, meter exchange, transformer load analysis, and customer presentment.

Visualant’s invisible bar code

Visualant, Inc. announced that it received its seventh patent on its ChromaID technology, utilizing the unique light signature exhibited by every material when stimulated by visible and invisible structured coherent light sources.

The latest patent adds a new element to the encoding process by leveraging the ChromaID scanner’s ability to recognize differences in molecular and atomic structures. This patent allows new data to be added using conventional printing process without having to change the visual appearance of codes. This also allows ‘invisible’ symbols to be incorporated in documents or goods such as fabrics, shoes, handbags and other things. These invisible signs could prove useful in curbing counterfeiters, as it would be very difficult to counterfeit something that cannot be seen.

“We believe the ‘invisible bar code’ application of the Visualant ChromaID technology covered by this patent has significant potential in the marketplace. The automatic identification and data capture industry requires ever greater information density and security. Visualant’s ChromaID technology provides both at a low cost and in very flexible form factor,” Ron Erickson, Visualant Founder and CEO, stated.

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