iPavement Turns the Sidewalk Into Smartpavement

[Adrean]

Pavement device equips the streets with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth a custom OS and apps.

At this year's CES, we saw just how invested with world of technology is in become "smarter", with a plethora of smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and even smart washing machines. Now it's only a matter of time before we see the word smart in front of just about everything and thanks to Spanish company Inteligente, you might just start by looking at the ground beneath your feet.

Hoping to turn the streets of the world into intelligent information platforms, the company will be introducing its "iPavement" at this year's International Building & Construction Show in Dubai. The pavement device will equip the streets with a sophisticated system integrating Bluetooth, Wi-Fi a custom operating system complete with its own apps and sensors.

A few of the apps which will be running on the company's custom Viacities OS were described in the release:

• Via-Book: The library in the street. The first library in the pavement. The publication of local works, for the promotion of culture and the distribution of digital works.
• Via-Maps: A means to discover information of interest, with simply a click; both tourists and the city's inhabitants can use the catalog on the map to discover the city's key cultural sites of interest, patrimony, gastronomy...
• Via-Sound: Music, concerts, local events, music books... all reproducible on mobile phones.
• Via-Coupons: Commercial coupons in the zone. Products promotion by sending the "promotion coupon" directly to the mobile phone.
• Analytical iPavement: Statistics concerning use, access, pedestrians, and the occupation of public spaces.
• MS-Alert: Intelligent warnings via Bluetooth -- Pavement in bad conditions, ice hazards, warnings about incidents... all the warnings necessary for the street to alert your mobile phone, e-mail, or the public services.
• MS-Blue: Programmed messages via Bluetooth -- permits messages containing information for tourists, events and commercial publicity to be sent to the city's inhabitants.

The hardware behind the system is safely tucked inside a calcium carbonate stone that will either come in a discreet flat shape or with grooves to indicate its presence. While iPavement is still being tested in Madrid, we can certainly expect to hear more about this smart pavement in the near future.

:view:Original Article: Tom's Guide