Autonomous robots, artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT technology are addressing crime prevention, illegal parking and management of household waste in Seoul.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will introduce the smart city services to solve everyday problems faced by citizens.

Seoul has established the following three smart city services: autonomous patrol robot; electric vehicle charging station monitor; and IoT-based recycling bin for transparent PET bottles.

Autonomous patrol robots last month began patrolling Children’s Grand Park in Wangjin-gu and Tancheon Trail in Songpa-gu. These four-wheeled robots stand 1077mm tall, and are equipped with various ICT-based functions, such as AI that detects emergency situations, such as fires and screams, and IoT that notifies the control room via voice and siren. Moreover, the robots have functions such as disease control, including spraying disinfectants, sterilising areas and checking temperatures of visitors.

The service of monitoring electric vehicle (EV) charging uses IoT-based parking detection sensors to scan licence plates and check whether vehicles are registered as EVs via the Ministry of Environment’s database. A warning light is flashed to indicate illegal parking by non-EVs and the following voice alert is activated: “This is an electric vehicle charging station. Please park in a different area.”

The IoT-based recycling service for transparent PET bottle uses a dedicated mobile app (Oysterable) for citizens to collect milage points by scanning the QR code when disposing of transparent PET bottles. The points can be used to purchase goods at affiliated convenience stores. It is expected that the rate of recycling transparent PET bottles into eco-friendly raw materials will increase and expand the effect of recycling household waste.

Ten recycling units have been installed in university campuses and public libraries as well as areas concentrated with young residents, young floating population and single-person households in Mapo-gu.

The SMG says it is discovering and promoting smart city services to address various safety and environmental problems that citizens face through ICT technology so Seoul can become a smart city for the convenience of its citizens.