Social Inclusion in Smart Cities

Abstract

As the Smart City concept evolves, it necessarily incorporates more sustainability and inclusiveness features. New demands of citizens (such as participation in the decision-making processes and activities, and the need for services designed for minorities and excluded social groups) produce a paradigm shift in the sense of “Human Cities”. Smart Cities and digital inclusion efforts are moving rapidly. Multiple initiatives are taking place all around the world using different technologies to address accessibility, safety (especially for women) and social inclusion of vulnerable groups. However, these efforts remain widely dispersed. Without better collaboration between local governments, citizens and other authorities, there is a notorious risk of leaving behind people with disabilities and the elderly. In the Smart City’s context, the mobility of people plays a crucial role in mitigating the social exclusion of vulnerable groups. It ensures their access to basic services and their social and employment relationships. One of the most vulnerable groups of citizens is the elderly. They demand special requirements in the design of smart mobility. At the same time, Smart City’s technologies can be used to maintain the elderly’s quality of life. This leads to the concept of Interconnected Public Spaces. A mixture of physical and virtual environments, generating interconnections at a planetary scale, that can be used to attract elderly people for collectively sharing experiences outdoors in public spaces (parks, squares or bus stops), increasing their physical form and stimulating them mentally, socially and emotionally. Currently, MUSA project is implementing the above-mentioned concepts.