Smart Cities in Egypt: Harnessing Cyber-Physical Systems for Economic Growth
Updated 5/14/2024 8:00:00 AM
The rapid urbanization of Egypt presents both challenges and opportunities. As millions flock to cities, traditional infrastructure struggles to keep pace, resulting in issues like traffic congestion, resource scarcity, and environmental pollution.
However, a new wave of technology offers a glimmer of hope, represented by cyber-physical systems (CPS). By harnessing the power of CPS, Egypt can pave the way for a brighter future, not just for its cities, but for its entire economy as well.
The Rise of CPS in Smart Cities
Our world is brimming with billions of interconnected devices and smart objects. When integrated into networks, these intelligent systems, known as CPS, transform the way we live. From healthcare and transportation to emergency response and security, CPS have the potential to significantly improve the quality of our lives.
CPS is becoming vital for smart cities, which can be considered as a large-scale implementation of CPS. This technology is gaining traction in developed nations, where governments invest heavily in CPS to develop innovative services for their citizens.
After all, smart planning and development in urban areas profoundly impact the well-being of residents, according to an article entitled 'A CPS and Graph-Based Approach for Transportation Management in Smart Cities' published by MDPI.
While some perspectives equate CPS with the Internet of Things (IoT), IoT can more properly be seen as a subset of CPS, as highlighted in an article entitled 'Contributing to the Internet of Things' published by ResearchGate.
In light of the steady growth of IoT services in Egypt, the number of applications submitted to the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has been increasing recently to inquire about licenses for providing IoT services using different technologies.
Accordingly, NTRA has studied the means that can be followed to drive the growth of IoT services within Egypt, the obstacles facing the spread of these services, and how to overcome them.
Therefore, Egypt has started applying IoT services across different aspects of the established and planned smart cities, such as integrating IoT into smart infrastructure, as outlined in a 2022 report issued by NTRA.
In smart cities, Egypt can look at successful international applications of CPS. Pioneering in CPS utilization, Japan established a comprehensive network enabling communication between people, machines, and even everyday objects.
This initiative, alongside South Korea's launch of a CPS-powered smart manufacturing system to optimize factory operations, laid the groundwork for the widespread adoption of CPS technology, as per the MDPI’s article.
Economic Benefits of CPS in Egyptian Smart Cities
Implementing CPS in smart cities in Egypt can yield significant economic benefits. Shaimaa Serag, a Ph.D. holder and an economic thinker, tells Arab Finance: “CPS is important indeed. It has a positive economic impact in terms of time savings and quality of performance, reducing future operational costs, and thus achieving competitiveness.”
This holds promise for attracting investments and boosting smart city development. "The fourth cyber-physical revolution and the growing exponential innovations of information and communications technologies (ICT) were the catalysts for the Egyptian stakeholders to target the sustainable smart city concept for the new future generations of Egyptian cities," Tarek Abou El Seoud's 'TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY: Smart Cities in the Egyptian Environment: How Much Smart to be Smart?' article explains.
CPS could further develop transportation systems and infrastructure in smart cities. Driven by advancements in sensors, communication, and computing, a new era of urban mobility systems has emerged. These systems leverage cyber-physical components to enhance the efficiency and quality of transportation services, as mentioned in the article 'Towards service-oriented cyber-physical systems of systems for smart city mobility applications, Future Generation Computer Systems' authored by M. Elshenawy, B. Abdulhai, and M. El-Darieby.
Accordingly, CPS-enabled smart cities can attract visitors, increase the efficiency of businesses, and boost the investment climate. This comes as the integration of CPS in Egyptian smart cities makes them attractive destinations for tech-based businesses.
The improved efficiency, sustainability, and livability enabled by CPS can draw companies seeking to operate in a technologically advanced environment.
Meanwhile, the implementation of CPS in smart cities requires skilled professionals in areas like sensor integration, data management, cybersecurity, and urban planning. This can lead to the creation of new job roles and the upskilling of the workforce, particularly in the fields of technology, engineering, and urban management.
Serag explains that “the nature of jobs will vary greatly. Certainly, new jobs will appear, particularly those related to technological programming or linking digital and tangible needs.”
“Other certain jobs will gradually disappear and be replaced by the technical side, especially those lacking creativity or innovation in performance,” she says.
Unlocking the Full Potential: Facing Challenges
The successful integration of CPS in Egyptian smart cities also requires addressing challenges related to data privacy, cybersecurity, and interoperability.
“Conversely, owing to the large volume of data generated by CPS devices, the challenges of handling it for smart and intelligent decisions have also increased. These challenges are mainly related to data storage, management, processing, and analysis,” according to the MDPI's article.
Therefore, developing the necessary digital infrastructure and regulatory frameworks is crucial to fully harnessing the economic benefits of CPS.
For her part, Salma Khaled Mokhtar, a cybersecurity engineer, explains to Arab Finance that implementing CPS in new smart cities in Egypt may face several challenges, such as inadequate infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, which can hinder CPS deployment.
Mokhtar further adds that CPS is challenged by cybersecurity risks, data privacy, skills gaps, and regulatory frameworks.
"Integrating diverse CPS systems from different vendors can also be challenging due to interoperability issues. Developing standardized protocols and interfaces and fostering collaboration among stakeholders can facilitate seamless integration," Mokhtar points out.
To mitigate these challenges, Mokhtar suggests attracting investments in expanding and modernizing infrastructure, such as broadband networks and energy grids. Additionally, establishing robust cybersecurity measures, including encryption standards, regular audits, and cybersecurity training for personnel, can help mitigate these risks.
To tackle potential challenges when applying CPS in smart cities, Mokhtar highlights the importance of training the workforce on cybersecurity, analytics, and IoT. She also advocates for developing comprehensive regulations that address issues like data governance, liability, and ethical considerations that can provide clarity and encourage innovation.
Although rapid urbanization presents significant challenges, it is also a unique opportunity to embrace the future. By strategically implementing CPS in its developing smart cities, Egypt has the potential to unlock a wave of economic benefits and improve the lives of its citizens.
The successful integration of CPS can create a thriving ecosystem for businesses, attract investment, and propel Egypt's economy towards a brighter future.
By Sarah Samir
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