DataMatters
A start-up builds smart cities
DataMatters, a spin-off from RWTH Aachen University, specializes in providing municipalities with smart systems. The focus here is on connecting artificial intelligence (AI) with the real world.
DataMatters specializes in the use of artificial intelligence in the real economy. Areas of application: Smart City, Smart Factory, Industry 4.0, Smart Building, IoT, mechanical and plant engineering, healthcare and agriculture. Data from real operations is recorded via sensors, collected in data rooms and analyzed there using AI software. The areas of application range from parking space management to early warning systems for anomalies such as extreme weather, machine wear or burst pipes, toCO2 footprint detection.
Five digital levels
A city consists of different vertical infrastructures that function more or less separately from one another. Dr. Daniel Trauth, the start-up founder, explains: "The challenge is to collect the immense volumes of data from the completely different areas, merge them and evaluate them using AI". There are five interlocking digital levels: A network of sensors, connectivity for collecting the data, data analysis with predictive functionality, an automation layer and a city network that connects the physical and digital infrastructures. Successful implementation requires a fail-safe broadband network, an efficient ecosystem for the Internet of Things (IoT) and real-time analysis of the collected data volumes in terms of big data and AI.
Urban data bus for a digital ecosystem
An electronic urban data bus as the basis for a digital ecosystem is seen as the first step towards a smart city. "In practice, it's usually not about all-encompassing concepts, but about addressing specific problem areas with sensor technology and AI," says the DataMatters boss.
The global smart cities market is currently estimated at over 700 billion dollars and is forecast to grow to around 4 trillion dollars by 2030. The German market for smart cities is currently estimated at around 8 billion euros; it is expected to grow to up to 47 billion euros by 2030. "The potential for smart cities is huge," Dr. Daniel Trauth is convinced.
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