Belfast is the first place in the UK that will benefit from Pulse Smart Hubs which will allow free access to services including a defibrillator, with 25 hubs granted permission so far.
Other services include a 999 button connecting directly to the emergency services and sensors that capture data on air quality.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Deirdre Hargey joined tech entrepreneur Patrick Fisher, founder and CEO of Urban Innovation Company, to officially launch the network of “smart street furniture” in the City.
She said: “I am particularly impressed by the public health and safety features, plus the flexibility of Pulse offering a tailored service to Belfast’s specific needs - it is so much more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Furthermore, the smart hubs’ IoT capability is something that will become ever more important and valuable over time, as technology evolves and greater innovation is implemented within the City.”
The £3 million project, funded entirely by Fisher’s Urban Innovation Company which designs and builds next generation telecommunication hubs, will help people stay connected - and even save lives.
The implementation and ongoing maintenance of the "smart street furniture" will be funded via digital advertising - operated in Belfast by Exterion Media.
Patrick Fisher, founder and CEO of Urban Innovation Company, said: "In the age of the Smart City, street furniture must do more to earn its place on the High Street. At no cost to the public or taxpayer, the Pulse Smart Hub is the smartest of smart furniture. A network of beautifully designed and engineered hubs that provide next generation connectivity, share information, track the environment, and ultimately, save lives."
The hubs integrate Public Access Defibrillators (PAD) so if someone experiences an ‘out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest’ (OHSCA) nearby, the likelihood of survival greatly increases from 9% to 59%. The PADs are simple to use without training.
It is fitting that the first Pulse Smart Hub featuring a defibrillator should be installed in Belfast, as the inventor of this life-saving piece of equipment, Professor James Francis Pantridge, known worldwide as the “Father of Emergency Medicine” began his medical career at Belfast’s very own Queen’s University.
Air quality is the biggest environmental cause of premature death in Europe, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is responsible for 40,000 deaths per year in the UK, say the Royal College of Physicians. Thanks to its ability to collect air quality data and monitor pollution levels, the Pulse Smart Hub will help Belfast City Council to keep a close eye on this important health concern.
Extensive engagement was undertaken with Belfast City Council and other local stakeholders. This has included discussions as to how the data and power provided by the smart hubs could be used by the City Council, universities, and local businesses to gather research and information that will contribute to improving life in Belfast City Centre.
