Written by Sonali Singh for US Ignite In response to the effects of COVID-19, communities are looking into technologies that enable new methods to enhance risk mitigation efforts through video surveillance and artificial intelligence (AI). However, while there are benefits to video monitoring as a public safety tool, there is also serious concern over the accuracy of facial recognition technol…

In a new pilot project, autonomous technology company EasyMile is teaming up with the city of Westminster, Colorado to launch a fully autonomous shuttle for regularly scheduled delivery trips to a local food bank. The shuttle starts its rounds this week and will transport boxes of food from a local storage facility to the Growing Home food pantry. With no on-board operator, the shuttle will naviga…

Systemic racism, the encouragement of violence and brutality, and a lack of compassion in the face of suffering is tearing us apart. For the record, US Ignite stands with peaceful protesters demanding a change and acknowledges the rage of those who have protested peacefully for so long and still struggle to be heard. For George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others, we grieve their…

US Ignite shares several important learnings in the new publication, Trends in Smart Communities: 2020

US Ignite hosted a discussion on how community members are rising to the challenge of COVID-19 by finding ways to support local businesses. We assembled a panel of experts and convened participants from the cohort of over 30 communities that are part of our Smart Gigabit Communities project, which was started with funding from the National Science Foundation. Panelists shared real-world experience…

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a challenge of unprecedented scale for communities across the world, leading to intense demand for innovation in health, social, and economic programs. While various top-down funding and policy recommendations have emerged at the national and regional levels, local leaders are focusing on solutions that meet their communities' specific needs, and placing an em…

Music credit: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626 Ft: J Lang, Morusque   Our next podcast installment on smart city small cells is live! The episode is a follow-up to the Smart City Small Cells Forum workshop we hosted as a virtual event in April and runs about 15 minutes lo…

US Ignite presents the fourth in our series of topical discussions with experts in the field of Supporting Local Businesses During COVID-19. The Smart Gigabit Communities team at US Ignite has designed this upcoming webinar to share innovative practices from organizations serving local businesses. Participants will hear directly from experts, and discover critical technology, organizational, an…

US Ignite hosted a discussion on how community members are rising to the challenge of COVID-19 by finding ways to bridge broadband gaps in our rapidly evolving world. We assembled a panel of experts and convened participants from the cohort of over 30 communities that are part of our Smart Gigabit Communities project, which was started with funding from the National Science Foundation. Panelists s…

Music credit: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626 Ft: J Lang, Morusque Our second podcast installment on smart city small cells is live! Tune in for an interview with Dallas officials including Assistant Director Ali Hatefi, Senior Program Manager Srinivasa Veeramallu, and City Attor…

US Ignite presents the third in our series of topical discussions with experts in the field of Bridging Broadband Gaps During COVID-19. Responding to the effects of COVID-19, communities have risen to meet the surge of residents getting online. The Smart Gigabit Communities team at US Ignite has designed this upcoming webinar to give a platform for communities who are creating innovative soluti…

 Music credit: I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626 Ft: J Lang, Morusque Thanks to the wonderful world of social distancing, we turned our recent Smart City Small Cells Forum workshop into a virtual event earlier this month. But since we couldn't squeeze a day's worth of content into 9…

A recent opinion piece in the New York Times called for new government investment in high-speed Internet connectivity to help jumpstart the economy once the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. Written by Thomas Friedman, the article was noteworthy not only because it cited one of the applications from our Smart Gigabit Communities network (Poultry Patrol), but also because it championed specific feder…

US Ignite hosted a discussion on how community members are rising to the challenge of COVID-19 by finding uses of data that improve communication and coordination in our rapidly evolving world.

US Ignite presents an online discussion with experts in the field of Data-Driven Support During the COVID-19 Crisis. With a new online event on the use of data in supporting communities during the COVID-19 crisis, US Ignite presents the second in our series of topical discussions designed to help communities respond to rising challenges during this health emergency. The series gives participant…