A smart city uses technology to improve the quality of life of its citizens. This can include everything from reducing crime and traffic congestion to increasing the efficiency of city services. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in South Korea regarding smart cities, as they offer several advantages over traditional cities. KIOT, an IoT startup in Korea that offers AI solutions for smart cities, is getting a lot of attention from businesses and the Korean government as Korea looks to be at the forefront of the 4th industrial revolution. They offer cost-effective edge solutions for industrial safety and smart city applications. 

The Rise of Smart Cities in Korea

South Korea has been embracing smart cities for over a decade now. Songdo, is a smart city in Korea and part of the Incheon Free Economic Zone. It is home to IT, biotech, and R&D facilities and offers specialized services such as smart bikes, criminal vehicle tracking, and monitoring criminal activities using motion detection technology. Busan’s Eco Delta Smart City is also developing, which will feature the internet of things and mobility as a service (autonomous EVs and delivery robots). More and more cities, not just in South Korea but worldwide, will be looking to develop smart cities. This shows the massive potential for KIOT. 

Some of the solutions offered by KIOT include: 

• Ability to measure the number of visitors, visits, gender, age, and other information using their AI traffic counter. 
• An AI, a risk perception alarm, uses sensors to detect dangers and offer alerts for fast response. 
• A camera solution for people that are visually impaired (image below).

As cities continue to grow, so does the need for smart city solutions that can help address the challenges of urban living. One area where this is particularly evident is in the area of public safety. This is where KIOT uses its AI technology to its fullest potential. Safety is at the forefront of the solutions offered by KIOT.

Crime prevention

In recent years, there have been many high-profile cases of violence and crime in big cities like Seoul and around the world. This has prompted a need for new approaches to keeping people safe. AI systems can identify patterns and trends that may indicate potential criminal activity. They analyze data from various sources, including social media, law enforcement databases, and surveillance footage. 

This information can then be used to deploy resources more effectively and help to prevent crimes from occurring in the first place.

Accident prevention

In addition, AI-powered security cameras are being deployed in some cities and manufacturing plants to detect potential accidents. Therefore, these cameras can detect issues in real-time. Moreover, it can alert those in charge, making it easier to respond quickly to potential incidents. KIOT is constantly developing AI-based solutions to create a safer environment for people in smart cities or workers working in smart factories.

KIOT targets governments and businesses and its solutions are customized for each client. For example, one of the clients is a water amusement park in Daegu. They developed a smart pole and danger warning system to prevent park guests from drowning. When an abnormal event is detected, video information can be transmitted to relate organizations to provide the proper response. Therefore, this shows that whatever solution is needed to provide a safer environment for workers or guests, KIOT can offer a customized solution.