When you Think of Smart Cities, Do You Think of Art?

Carnegie Mellon University’s User Centered Research and Evaluation course held their poster session to recap the students’ research on the exploration of public art and technology. Over the course of the fall semester, graduate and undergraduate students leveraged data conducted by the Public Art + IoT team for initial analysis and then, divided into more than 20 teams, began to explore the use of technology to support, measure and/or increase engagement with public art.

Metro21 project, Public Art + IoT, offers a technology-based engagement platform that allows for data collection which through subsequent analysis will allow for greater understanding of the impact of these installations on the citizenry and city as a whole.

By utilizing smart technology like beacons and QR codes, and deploying social engagement tools, such as unique hashtags campaigns, Pittsburgh’s system of memorials and public art can not only create and share a database of knowledge with users but engage them with the art, and track who they are, how they engage, and why they view the works.

The User Centered Research and Evaluation course resulted into a wide-ranging exploration as the students tackled problems and researched opportunities associated with public art and the communities. Some project included a selfie kiosk located near Pittsburgh public art locations so citizens can share photos of themselves with the art with their family members, an Interactive board to increase engagement with public art, and a way to empower person-to-person interaction to catalyze a shared public art experience.

Smart Cities are more than just implementing the latest and greatest in smart infrastructure. A major challenge for municipalities around the world is to empower their citizens to embrace community spaces, and one way to help is through the use of art!

To learn more about Public Art + IoT, click here!