On Monday 14 December, representatives from various Brussels municipalities came together for the second session in a series of Smart Lunches organised by the Smart City Office. The second session was entirely devoted to new technologies to improve public spaces. This session followed the same structure as the first
Smart Lunch: an academic introduction, a live demonstration of an innovative tool and, finally, the experiences of some municipalities in line with the chosen theme.
The first speaker was Victorien Sonneville, xR Lab Manager at OpenHub in Louvain-La-Neuve. He provided a theoretical framework for understanding VR and AR, and how these technologies can be more than just a gadget, but also a practical tool. Virtual reality makes it possible to pass on information. In addition, it allows for greater interaction with citizens.
Xavier Tackoen from consultancy firm Espaces-Mobilités then took the floor. He brought with him Anderlecht's Alderman for Mobility, Susanne Müller-Hübsch. For the
redevelopment of Rue Wayez in Anderlecht, Espaces-Mobilités developed a VR experience that gave the citizens of Anderlecht the opportunity to discover the neighbourhood as it will look after the works. The initiative was a great success, and Anderlecht plans to continue using the technology in the future.
The third and last part of the afternoon was dedicated to the experiences of the Brussels municipalities. Which creative technologies are they using in their public spaces? Daniel Soumillion was the first to speak. In Watermael-Boitsfort, an app was created that enables residents to get to know their municipality in a new way: a
listening walk, with characters from the time of the First World War, takes the listener back to life as it was 100 years ago. Stéphane Obeid, Alderman for Smart City and Public Order in Ganshoren, came along to speak about the
connected dustbins and cameras that were introduced in the municipality. Powered by solar energy and connected via the 4G network, they make it possible to manage dustbins more efficiently and to take stricter action against illegal dumping.
So, another successful afternoon. A third session is scheduled for 18 January. At the time of writing, this afternoon will be all about open data as building blocks for the Smart City. You can register via
this link .
