Hyderabad: IIIT Hyderabad’s Smart City Living Lab was honored with the prestigious ‘Best Education Institute Exhibit of the Year’ award at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, held from October 15 to 18 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The eighth edition of IMC, held in conjunction with the WTSA’24, attracted global participation, including delegates from various industries, academia, and startups, highlighting advancements in telecom and ICT technologies.
The IIIT Hyderabad team, led by Dr. Aftab Hussain, was invited by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to showcase their innovative work at the event. The Smart City Living Lab presented live demonstrations of three cutting-edge solutions aimed at addressing key smart city challenges:
- Wi-SUN-based RF-Mesh Network: A large-scale wireless communication protocol designed for smart city applications.
- City IoT Operating Platform (ctOP): A platform designed to enhance interoperability and streamline vendor integration for smart city IoT ecosystems.
- Digital Twin for Water Utility Networks (DTWN): A virtual model used for efficient water network management.
The Wi-SUN-based RF-Mesh Network, developed in collaboration with Silicon Labs, demonstrated a practical application for controlling streetlights on campus, offering secure and low-power communication for large-scale IoT deployments. Vaibhav Naware, a key contributor to the project, expressed excitement about the award, stating, “This recognition highlights our commitment to using technology for educational excellence.”
The City IoT Operating Platform (ctOP) showcased its capability to integrate multiple vendors and devices, offering seamless connectivity and data visualization. “ctOP will revolutionize smart city deployments by ensuring flawless integration,” said Anuradha Vattem, Chief Technology Architect at IIITH’s Smart City Living Lab.
The Digital Twin for Water Utility Networks, developed in collaboration with ZF India Pvt. Ltd, was showcased as a miniature model, demonstrating real-time water quality and quantity monitoring. Engineer Likhith Kanigolla emphasized the significance of this project in revolutionizing infrastructure management.
Dr. Aftab Hussain, reflecting on the institute’s consistent presence at IMC, said, “It is a moment of great pride that IIIT Hyderabad has been recognized among the best in the industry. IMC has grown into a flagship event showcasing India’s technological capabilities.”
The Smart City Living Lab at IIIT Hyderabad, launched in May 2020, is a research and innovation hub funded by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and supported by the Smart City Mission and the Telangana government.
