SmartSpires: Inspiring smart communities with 5G and EdgeAI

ongoing

This initiative confronts the critical challenge of insufficient digital connectivity in urban areas of Europe to support Smart City use cases. Despite an advanced digital infrastructure, there is a marked connectivity gap that impairs network performance, limits integration with IoT, and consequently, restricts advancements in urban mobility, sustainability, and public safety. This hampers the progress towards the European Green Deal and the digital transformation of public services. The initiative, set within the transitioning Belval Campus in Luxembourg, seeks to leverage the untapped potential of 5G, Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) and Edge AI to close this gap and drive Luxembourg's national 5G strategy forward to foster sustainable urban development, improve public safety, and contribute to the European Green Deal and digital transformation goals. The project’s objective is to design, deploy, and maintain a densified 5G Smart City network incorporating Edge AI infrastructure that supports real-time, data-intensive applications for urban management and services. A central focus is to demonstrate innovative Smart City use cases, effectively showcasing the capabilities of this network and fostering a European ecosystem of 5G suppliers through open, disaggregated, and interoperable technology solutions. The project’s activities include the development and implementation of four key use-cases: • New mobility solutions that integrate the project's infrastructure with campus vehicles including shuttles, to facilitate traffic automation • Crowd analytics to identify patterns and detect anomalies or unusual behaviour within crowds, such as overcrowding or sudden changes in movement • Enhanced waste management systems equipped with cameras and sensors to optimise waste collection processes in Belval • The creation of a living lab to showcase, demonstrate and scale-up the project's technologies and capabilities. This hands-on approach will provide a space for stakeholders and the general public to engage with the technologies, ensuring they align with the community's needs and expectations. The project's use-cases are strategically designed to significantly improve urban mobility, sustainability, and public safety, thereby contributing to the European Green Deal and the digital transformation of public services. This initiative is pivotal in fostering a European ecosystem of 5G suppliers by leveraging open, disaggregated, and interoperable technology solutions, which will enhance city operations and maintenance, ensuring safer and more efficient communities. The project serves as a prime example of the transformative impact of 5G and Edge AI in urban environments, setting Belval campus as a benchmark for future smart cities.