IEEE Electrification - September 2019 - 33

By Imran Mahmood and Junaid Ahmed Zubairi

HE ADVENT OF MODERN WIRELESS TELEcommunications and the revolutionary
development of ubiquitous computing have
led to the rapid growth of a novel paradigm:
the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is a collection of devices connected through the Internet with
access to computing that enables automated decision making without human intervention. A smart city is a municipality that leverages the use of information and communication
technologies in general, and the IoT in particular, to optimize
daily operations, such as traffic, transportation, power, water
supply networks, waste transportation, law enforcement,
education, health care, and other community services. Smart
cities around the world are taking advantage of modern
technologies to improve their services and enhance the
quality of service and welfare for their citizens.
This article discusses a novel application of the IoT for
waste transportation and shares an illustrative case study
on the design of smart waste transportation processes for
the city of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. We surveyed
the current traditional waste transportation process and
obtained retrospective data from the Capital Development Authority (CDA). An IoT-based solution for the

T

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MELE.2019.2925761
Date of publication: 4 September 2019

2325-5987/19©2019IEEE

smart waste transportation system was modeled and
simulated at the city level to show the performance gain
and resource saving. This model routed vehicles using
time and distance constraints, Later, the modeled design
was implemented, including 1) physical hardware
(equipped with top-load waste bins, ultrasonic range sensors, and communication modules), 2) an online server/
dashboard for computing optimization algorithms and
visualizations, and 3) a mobile application for job assignments and transport navigation. Our experience with the
initial tests shows that there is a significant performance
gain in the waste management process, in terms of saving both cost and time. The proposed IoT-based solution
assists in optimal planning and making informed decisions for waste collection through optimal routes, thus
reducing cost and time and making it a valuable component in smart cities.

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Enabling technologies
for smart cities using
the Internet of Things.

Efficient
Waste
Transportation
and Recycling

Solid Waste Collection and Disposal
Smart cities around the world are taking advantage of
modern technologies to improve their services. One
very important function in cities is solid waste collection and management. Waste management deals with
all of the activities and actions related to waste, including its collection, transportation, handling, and proper
disposal. In the United States alone, each person
IEEE Electrific ation Magazine / S EP T EM BE R 2 0 1 9

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IEEE Electrification - September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Electrification - September 2019
