It was great to be back at UCL for The Bartlett School of Planning Public Lecture on Spatial Inequality and the Smart City with Professor Rachel Franklin on 25th January.
Professor Franklin presented her research on the sensor location and spatial inequality dilemma, using Newcastle upon Tyne's air quality sensor network as a case study to explore the trade-offs imposed on decision-makers.
Some interesting takeaways for me:
1️⃣ Sensor coverage and place politics
This was my first introduction to the concept of 'sensor deserts' - areas of a city where sensor technology is not present, resulting in a lack of data and knowledge about those areas. This raises important questions: what or who are we observing, and why? When considering sensor deserts, it's important to ask which demographic sub-groups are being disregarded, and conversely, who is privileged enough to avoid environmental or behavioural monitoring?
2️⃣ Smart city technologies and equity
Professor Franklin emphasised that sensors are infrastructure and therefore carry the same challenges, from cost to maintenance to issues of equity. There is always the risk that smart city technologies may privilege some places, people and activities over others. As city designers, we have a responsibility to minimise (spatial) inequities and deliver better outcomes for as many people as possible. For me, this was another reminder of the importance of diversity in the built environment industry!
3️⃣ Adopting technical processes for sensor network design
Before deploying sensors, it's important to carefully consider the purpose and intended outcomes of a sensor network. This can help us avoid biases in the design of networks, carefully considering the spatial distribution of sensors and ensuring our design decisions are informed by a good understanding of the trade-offs involved in prioritising certain demographics or objectives. Professor Franklin advocates optimisation algorithms as a tool to navigate these complexities and work towards more equitable outcomes.
Read more about this here: Optimizing for Equity: Sensor Coverage, Networks, and the Responsive City | Caitlin Robinson, Rachel S. Franklin & Jack Roberts (2022)
Overall, it was a brilliant discussion and I left feeling inspired and determined to continue asking tough questions and working towards creating more equitable cities!