Keep up to date with our innovative initiatives.
Sign up here
Voting electronically through blockchain technology, moving around on a driverless bus or grocery shopping in an inclusive supermarket are some of the experiences of the ‘The City of the Future’, the multi-sensorial proposal of the Government of Catalonia at this year’s Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), which will take place from November 19th to the 21st in Barcelona.
Thanks to 16 live demonstrations, the stand will transform into a 2030 city by way of an innovative and multi-sensory proposal designed to give visitors a taste of what cities will be like within a few decades and to show them how technology and connectivity will impact key areas like mobility, governance, sustainability, education, employment, well-being and leisure.
An inclusive supermarket based on VLC technology
The i2CAT Foundation presents a demonstration of how Visible Light Communications (VLC) technology can be applied to retail in order to facilitate the shopping experience of visually impaired citizens thanks to a highly precise location system. The Inclusive Supermarket will be one of the 16 experiences within “The City of the Future” (Hall 2, booth D413).
Visitors will be able to see how only a smartphone equipped with a camera and an app is needed to receive updated product information in real time. A voice system indicates the product and the distance at which it stands from the user, while the app shows an image of said product.
The system needs only commercial LED lights to function, which can be easily found in most retail areas, and a commuter. The LED light, thanks to a small switch, emit identification data. By capturing more than three lights, the camera, and therefore the smartphone, will be able to locate and indicate the smartphone’s orientation and provide product information in real time.
Unlike other indoor location technologies based on radio frequency signals – such as WIFI or Bluetooth Low Energy – i2CAT’s system offers high reliability and very high accuracy, with an error margin of less than 5 cm in position (X, Y, Z) and in orientation (3 degrees in any direction).
Business Park
The i2CAT Foundation will also be present at the Business Park, located next to the Inclusive Supermarket, explaining how advanced digital technologies like 5G, Blockchain, IoT, AI, V2X or UWB are essential to enhance the digital transformation of cities for citizens.
Come see us and don’t miss the City of the Future experience!
