Tag Archives: Smart Cities

Analysis: Saudi Arabia’s Hyper-Planned “Line City”

The Line is a proposed smart linear city in Saudi Arabia in Neom, Tabuk, currently under construction, which is designed to have no cars, streets or carbon emissions.

 The Line is being described as a one-building vertical city outfitted with exterior mirrors, big enough to house 9 million people — along with everything they need, from parks and waterfalls to flying taxis and robot maids. There are even plans to include an artificial moon for residents to gaze upon.

With its proposed width of only 656 feet, The Line will rely primarily on its height to encompass its residents and a host of modern trappings, such as a high-speed rail to connect sections of the 106-mile city. Saudi Arabian officials claim The Line will be otherwise devoid of roads, cars or emissions and will be powered strictly by clean energy (although details have not been released). Here are a few of most notable proposed features of The Line:

  • vertically layered homes, offices, public parks and public schools.
  • year-round climate control of all indoor and outdoor spaces.
  • high-speed rail that will transport residents from end-to-end in 20 minutes.
  • a five-minute walk to all amenities.
  • accessibility to parks and natural elements within a two-minute walk.

Technology: Designing & Building Smarter Cities

How are you connected on the street where you live, the street where you do business, the street you share with neighbors? But how could a smarter street improve your life?

Video timeline: 00:00 Building Smarter Cities 00:14 Next Evolution 00:36 ERC Partners

Could technology help guide disabled pedestrians, eliminate traffic bottlenecks, enhance trash collection and pest control, improve emergency services, protect people from environmental and health threats. “Smart Streetscapes,” a new National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, aims to create livable, safe, and inclusive communities. Learn more on NSF’s “The Discovery Files.”

Preview: MIT Technology Review – July/August 2022

JA22 cover

The Urbanism issue

July/August 2022

Is technology making cities better—or worse? A deep dive into what we stand to lose in the pursuit of efficiency and convenience.

Read the issue

Science: Covid Treatments & Smart Cities Built With Smart Materials (Podcast)

Science Staff Writer Kelly Servick discusses how physicians have sifted through torrents of scientific results to arrive at treatments for SARS-CoV-2.

Sarah also talks with Wesley Reinhart, of Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for Computational and Data Science, about why we should be building smart cities from smart materials, such as metamaterials that help solar panels chase the Sun, and living materials like self-healing concrete that keep buildings in good shape.

Morning News Podcast: Covid Vaccine Delivery Issues, New ‘Smart’ Cities

We’re getting closer to the vaccine finish line with three promising candidates. Distributing this vaccine will be a challenge everywhere but especially in states that have large rural areas like Alabama where a three-phase plan to get the state vaccinated is being finalized next week.

  • Plus, the logic behind the CDC’s new quarantine guidelines.
  • And, the new hope for creating smart cities.

Guests: Alabama Public Health state health officer Dr. Scott Harris and Axios’ Sam Baker and Jennifer Kingson.