ALERT: This session will now also be available via zoom: https://victoriauniversity.zoom.us/j/84437200249?pwd=blFHRWxMWlA2OTFZaWlXcW11TUlVZz09

DiD WORKSHOP: Data Care for Digital Twins with Prof. Marcus Foth

Data analytics through smart city technology deployments such as digital twins has the potential to create more liveable, sustainable, and equitable cities. However, internationally, there are many examples of smart city developments that have attracted criticism, concerns, and community backlash over issues such as data ethics, privacy, mass surveillance, commodification, and social control.

In response, this talk by Professor Marcus Foth presents DataCare – a model for cities to practically implement a participatory data analytics approach as a way to renew and maintain the social licence to operate smart cities. Grounded in a critical review of the literature, the talk argues that data collection and automation in smart cities must be more citizen and community-oriented. Informed by smart city developments in Toronto and Barcelona, Prof. Foth will introduce DataCare – a hybrid physical space and digital engagement program for cities to champion data leadership and empower consumers, communities and businesses to actively participate in city analytics.

DataCare aims to increase data transparency and access, raise awareness of data ethics, offer data literacy training, engage people in participatory data analytics, and speculate about city data futures. The goal of this research is to expand city data analytics capabilities by extending their reach and delivering externally facing, accessible interfaces for community and business users. This is essential for more accessible city analytics. Pioneering good data practices is vital for the success of Australia’s data-driven knowledge economy.

About the presenter

Marcus Foth is a Professor of Urban Informatics in the School of Design and a Chief Investigator in the QUT Digital Media Research Centre. For two decades, Marcus has led ubiquitous computing and interaction design research into interactive digital media, screen, mobile and smart city applications. Since founding the Urban Informatics Research Lab at QUT in 2006, urban informatics has been adopted worldwide by industry (McKinsey, Intel, CISCO) and universities (NYU, University College London, Warwick, Northeastern).

Recommended reading

Foth, M., Anastasiu, I., Mann, M., & Mitchell, P. (2021). From Automation to Autonomy: Technological Sovereignty for Better Data Care in Smart Cities. In B. T. Wang & C. M. Wang (Eds.), Automating Cities: Design, Construction, Operation and Future Impact (pp. 319-343). Springer. ISBN 978-981-15-8669-9. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/203...

This workshop will be held in room C203 at the Footscray Park campus of Victoria University (70–104 Ballarat Road, Footscray, 3011)

NOTE: This workshop is presented as part of the Data Informed Design conference and is free and open to the general public.