Below
are some of the likely short and medium term technological developments
that could affect our towns and cities. These draw on a longer
paper by David Greenop. The possible positive changes have been
summarised by William Mitchell, author of 'E-topia' as:
- Dematerialisation.
Commerce, government, leisure become more virtual as activities
move online.
- Demobilisation.
Journeys to work and other places can be replaced by online interaction.
- Mass
customisation. Products and services can be tailored to individual
needs.
- Intelligent
operation. Our homes, workplaces, towns and cities can be more effectively
managed.
- Soft
transformation. Changes brought to our urban fabric can be less
destructive than those of earlier revolutions.
It is
possible, of course, to argue that benefit will be limited to the
better off - just as clean water, sanitation, good roads, power and
telephones reached the rich first. That is one of the challenges for
central and local government.
Always
connected
More
information, more networking….. on the move, at home and at work.
Greater connectivity will give people more knowledge, control and
purchasing capability wherever they are.
- Always
on Internet: 'always on, always connected' Internet available
via mobile phones.
- Electronic
purses: micro-payments made possible by mobile phone and smart
credit cards.
- Positioning
and guidance by mobile phone: you know where you - and
others - are, and where to go.
- Home
networks will link digital devices, and 'smart' appliances will
be online for service monitoring
- Personal
knowledge all the time, through software agents, mobile phones
and PDAs, linked to home networks.
- 3D
representation of the town available online
Working
and shopping everywhere
For many,
the distinction between work and personal activities will reduce still
further. New skills will constantly be needed…. education will
become increasingly work related. Shopping patterns and places will
change.
- Live/work
homes. Home will be an extension or alternative to the office
for many.
- Live/work
neighbourhoods. Shared workspaces and social spaces will proliferate.
- Learning
online. Formal and informal learning opportunities will increase
as courses are available everywhere.
- Distributed
employment. More people will work for several employers, online,
and form virtual teams.
- Online
shopping and local delivery will increase, with neighbourhood
collection points.
Health,
Leisure and friendship online
Hobbies,
sport and DIY interests will be targeted by commercial interests offer
online services and networks. Technology may focus personal activities
- yet also expand contacts. People will still want to meet.
- New
health monitoring technology will offer those who can afford
it constant personal health checks
- Hobby
nets will develop for people with shared interest and DIY activities.
- Virtual
friendships will develop into real relationships as people meet
online - then offline.
- Local
lifestyle shopping will be more recreational through increased
home delivery.
Smarter
towns - or big brother rules?
Wealth
and employment remains concentrated in cities. Pressure for rural
housing - and car usage - increases. Technology is deployed to enhance
public services and management.
- Surveillance
and tracking of people, vehicles and all activities increases.
- Cars
online. Cars are more like homes and offices, with improved
navigation devices.
- Smarter
public transport. Bus and taxi services converge to become more
available on-demand.
- Places
online. Physical places are represented virtually, for management
and marketing.
- Enhanced
urban management. Traffic, pollution etc can be monitored and
managed.
Empowered
citizenship, more effective partnerships
New technologies
offer the prospect of more effective and transparent government.
- Neighbourhoods
online. All neighbourhoods have libraries online or centres
to ensure public access and learning.
- Government
online. Community information and services are online for home
and neighbourhood access.
- More
local government. Teleworking and intranets will enable government
to decentralise operations.
- Electronic
democracy becomes possible through participation and voting,
with access to officials and councillors.
- Partnerships
online. The many local public, private, community partnerships
have intranets for effective working