Next generation of smart-city poles coming soon to Coral Gables

Coral Gables plans to install two to three smart-city poles that incorporate wi-fi, 5G, CCTV, traffic, environmental and safety sensors in 2022, according to city Chief Innovation Officer Raimundo Rodulfo. A pilot pole, Miami Today reported in May, was installed in early summer 2021 in Coral Gables’ Central Business District.

The apparatus was designed for the city by Ekin Smart City Technologies, and Mr. Rodulfo said the pilot program has provided officials and designers feedback that will be used to improve the “next generation” of poles.

For example, he said, after viewing the original prototype, changes were made to the design of the pilot pole to ensure it could withstand hurricane winds. The cost of this pole to the city, he said, was around $18,000, and the improved next-generation poles will probably be pricier. However, he noted, installing separate apparatus for all of the technology included in the poles would be even more expensive.

The next poles, he said, are slated to be installed on Alhambra Circle, part of the Central Business District where a number of financial institutions are located. Based on feedback from the city, they will feature new modules including “smart lighting” and the ability to broadcast public announcements.

Nano hotspots with 5G capabilities, Mr. Rodulfo said, were also added to the poles, which Miami Today reported was part of the original plan but had been temporarily scrapped as of May 2021.

According to Mr. Rodulfo, the technological design of the poles allows engineers to “plug and play” new modules without necessarily having to rebuild the apparatus to make improvements. The next generation, he added, will look a little different, as they are to be designed by Italian firm Pininfarina.

“By working with Pininfarina, we (handle) the aesthetics and industrial design and beautification,” he previously told Miami Today. “And by working with Ekin, we are looking at consolidating all that (smart city) technology into one pole.”

The installation of these poles, Mr. Rodulfo said, is part of a larger effort to improve Coral Gables’ smart city capabilities and, ultimately, improve public safety and economic opportunities by attracting businesses to the city.

The installation of poles, he said, coincides with city efforts to install fiber optic capabilities throughout Coral Gables, which has already begun in the business district. The exact number of poles that will be installed, he added, has not yet been determined.

The city has identified, according to a map on the “Smart City Digital Library” page of its website, eight “smart innovation districts” where Smart City Technology will be prioritized.

The Central Business District, Mr. Rodulfo said, is “District A.” “District B,” he said, will include City Hall. Later priorities, he continued, include enhancing smart city capabilities along US 1 and the Underline, which is planned to eventually run through Coral Gables.

Coral Gables Smart City information: https://www.coralgables.com/itdocs