© metamorworks - iStock Getty Images Plus
In the wake of Italy’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, cities like Florence started to look towards recovery, with a focus on returning to normality while avoiding relapse. In particular, Florence wanted to leverage on data collected by Smart City Control Room (SCCR) - as a key part and enabler of a bigger project called REPLICATE - to ensure lockdown measures were lifted in a responsible and controlled manner. Analysing big datasets on citizens' movements, business locations and events sales could inform policy and ultimately determine how key activities for the region like tourism could re-open safely.
How has BDTI helped?
The Big Data Test Infrastructure (BDTI) provides a ready-to-use virtual environment that helps public administrations and projects led by the public sector improve the experience of the citizens, make government more efficient and boost business and the wider economy through big data.
Florence's REPLICATE project, thanks to the Smart City Control Room innovative and intelligent city management system, aimed to improve policymaking using big data collected before, during and beyond the pandemic. The city decided to use the data analysis capabilities of the Big Data Test Infrastructure to get the most out of this data. BDTI provided an easy-to-use, scalable solution for analysing data aggregated from various sources:
- Public wifi sensors (location, number of users connected)
- Traffic sensors
- Pollution sensors
- Tickets sold to museums/events
- City assets data map (location of parks, gardens, shopping centres)
The pilot project integrating BDTI with Florence’s SCCR carried out predictive, descriptive and time-series analysis, mitigating the risks of easing lockdown measures by helping avoid overcrowding and identifying high-risk spaces in the city.
Once relevant insights have been collected through BDTI, Florence ultimately intends to scale up the REPLICATE project to include other municipalities in Tuscany. This is with thanks to ongoing collaboration with Tuscany Region, and the University of Florence. The data, tools and results from this project could be shared with future pilots, as cities go smart with data tools like BDTI in an effort to curb the effects of coronavirus through innovation and collaboration.
The Big Data Test Infrastructure provides free, reusable digital solutions in the fight against COVID-19
BDTI’s free, reusable digital solutions helped public administrations in Europe fight the virus. BDTI was also used in Valencia to analyse vast amounts of data on COVID-19 to provide insights to clinicians and hospital managers.