Driving New Modes of IoT-Facilitated Citizen/User Engagement

A new white paper by the Center for the Development and Application of Internet of Things Technologies (CDAIT), Thought Leadership Working Group (co-chaired by Wireless RERC researcher, Dr. Paul M.A. Baker) defines IoT and its dimensions, and more broadly, addresses the opportunities and limitations of SmartCities, IoT deployments, use cases (e.g., public safety, transportation, healthcare, utilities), data ownership and security, business models, ethics, and so much more. Dr. Baker ensured that the Thought Leadership Working Group were thinking of an accessible, inclusive IoT framework. According to the report: “With an eye toward increasing the utility of IoT for end users, other aspects that need to be considered are the accessibility and usability of these technologies, which can increase participation for a great number of users. This is a typically overlooked design component and one that designers and developers of Smart City-connected applications, devices, and technologies could facilitate by obtaining input from a wide range of users, especially those who could potentially benefit the most from IoT technologies: people with disabilities, the aging, minorities/underrepresented groups, and other underserved populations.”

• Center for Advanced Communications Policy