CityVerve

About the city.

Manchester is set to become a world leader as the first city in the UK to demonstrate the widespread use of Internet of things (IoT) technology. The creators of the CityVerve project wanted to show how connecting everything in the city and using its data can improve the lives of citizens.

But with so much data coming from so many different sources, there is always an issue with ensuring the security and scalability of each device and application.

This problem has led to the fact that many Smart city projects have failed.

Goal

The aim of the project is to build and deliver a smarter, more connected Manchester, making a city that uses technology to meet the complex needs of its inhabitants.

Implementation period. The project ran between July 2016 and July 2018.

Fact

In December 2015, InnovateUK selected Manchester from 34 candidate cities for a £10 million award to fund development of the British IoT cities demonstrator

Solutions

CityVerve is a “platform of platforms” that allows people to collect information from all over Manchester and access it from a single point, combining previously disconnected datasets and giving a clear picture of the entire city in one secure place. Because the platform can contain an endless number of applications, it can scale as the city grows.

CityVerve Manchester is a demonstrator of a smart city. It uses Internet of Things (IoT) technology to help Manchester City Council improve the way it designs and provides services for people who visit, live or work in Manchester. The projects focus on four themes: culture and the public sphere; health and social assistance; energy and the environment; and travel and transport. The platform allows the city and other organizations to access multiple data sources, with controls placed on how data is accessed and used. This allows data Analytics to be applied in all areas and sectors and creates the potential for the city and other organizations to develop business models around data and smart services.

Two important components are Datawell, an innovative digital technology project that allows doctors and healthcare providers to share information about patients and clients, and GM-Connect, a data-sharing body launched in 2016 by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which aims to help break down barriers to information sharing between public services.

https://youtu.be/wtHTmjSAJRs

Challenges

One of the main challenges has been effective organizing and integrate the large range and volume of data sets involved in the programme.  To overcome these problems the Ordnance Survey service applies common geospatial bindings and standards to many data sets.

Team

Manchester City Council, Manchester Science Partnerships, the University of Manchester, Cisco, BT and other tech players. The project is also backed by Government and Innovate UK.

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