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The Array of Things (AoT) is an urban sensing project, a network of interactive, modular sensor boxes that will be installed around Chicago to collect real-time data on the city’ s environment, infrastructure, and activity for research and public use.
AoT will provide real-time, location-based data about the city’ s environment, infrastructure and activity to researchers and the public. The network will serve as a “fitness tracker’ for the city, measuring factors that impact livability in Chicago such as climate, air quality and noise. This initiative has the potential to allow researchers, policymakers, developers and residents to work together and take specific actions that will make Chicago and other cities healthier, more efficient and more livable. The data will help make Chicago a truly “smart city,’ allowing the City to operate more efficiently and realize cost savings by anticipating and proactively addressing challenges such as urban flooding and traffic safety.
AoT initiative has the potential to allow researchers, policymakers, developers and residents to work together and take specific actions that will make Chicago and other cities healthier, more efficient and more livable. The data will help make Chicago a truly “smart city,’ allowing the City to operate more efficiently and realize cost savings by anticipating and proactively addressing challenges such as urban flooding and traffic safety.
Array of Things is interested in monitoring the city’ s environment and activity, not individuals. The nodes will initially measure temperature, barometric pressure, light, vibration, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, ambient sound intensity, pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and surface temperature. Continued research and development will help create sensors to monitor other urban factors of interest such as flooding and standing water, precipitation, wind, and pollutants.