By 2050, 75 per cent of the world’s population will be living in cities. In India, 34 per cent already does. It’s a no brainer then that making our cities equipped to handle large populations should be our number one priority. And technology is the tool, thinks Dr Paribhasha Kumari Sharma, associate professor at Jindal Global Business School, OP Jindal Global University.

Sharma, along with her colleague Dr Srinivas Jangirala, has launched a literature review paper on how the Internet of Things (IoT) can be used to make smart cities. The term describes physical objects with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks. “It will help cities manage urban resources in a manner that’s both useful and sustainable,” Sharma says.