Smart cities initially showed promise as an application domain for IoT but have struggled over the last decade. However, Smart islands (instead of smart cities) may be good for the success of the Internet of Things.
The Case for Smart Islands
For instance, one such trial is on the Greek island of Naxos with AWS. Smart islands are a good case because of their unique characteristics. Islands are isolated, and there are limited options for several key reasons, making Smart Islands an ideal use case for IoT-based smart technologies.
Use of drones
Drones could be an important driver in the Smart Island ecosystem. They could provide smart mobility solutions, especially around healthcare and the transport of goods, such as vessel monitoring, reporting from remote stations, and delivery of medical supplies and test samples. Drones could also help local marinas and power plants monitor the energy grid, oversee coastal boat traffic, and track inclement weather, proving invaluable in flooding and hurricane search and rescue.
Dealing with Limited Labor
Due to a shortage of labor on islands, IoT can play a major part in water management and similar infrastructure systems, supplement communication grids in remote areas, and provide an early warning system for fires, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Hotels (which often play an oversized role on islands) can take advantage of these technologies to better control HVAC systems, reduce unnecessary cleaning, keep rooms unlit and televisions turned off when not in use, and simplify getting access to and from facilities on the island.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine, using robotic proxies and video interaction, can also keep medical personnel from being overwhelmed and ensure at least some health care is available to people on the island. As small island inhabitants are also likely to be older, Fitbits and similar monitoring bracelets can alert people who are isolated and incapacitated.
This could provide a template for other isolated communities and make such island communities more attractive to immigrants.
References and image source: AWS Smart islands solutions on Naxos
