Two of the most significant trends of the 21st century are the acceleration of global urbanization and the cyber-physical revolution. While rapid urbanization may enhance collaborative talent pools, it of course also brings with it many challenges to housing and infrastructure, as well as straining resources. However, the cyber-physical revolution, part of the wider digital revolution, has emerged as a potential coping mechanism for this unbridled urban sprawl. For the first time in history, more than half the world’s population lives in cities, 54.6% according to current UN statistics. Looking forward, the UN forecasts as much as 70% of the global population will live in cities by 2050, a staggering six billion people, almost doubling the current 3.6 billion urban residents. Something will have to change about the way we run our cities, something ‘Smart’. In North America 82% of the population already reside in cities, their southern neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean […]