‘V-Pole’ may take high tech to the streets in Vancouver

[M II A II R II K]

Douglas Coupland-created ‘V-Pole’ may take high tech to the streets in Vancouver


May 22, 2012

By Tristin Hopper

Read More: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05...-in-vancouver/

To clear its streets of cellphone towers, parking meters, Wi-Fi terminals, streetlights and even community message boards, the city of Vancouver is pushing forward with a scheme to compress all the technologies together into specialized “Vancouver poles” planted throughout the city.

- Alongside Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, the author unveiled the “V-Pole” concept technology last week at the New Cities Summit in Paris, France. “You would never think of building a house or office tower without electricity — in the same way, you would never think of developing future cities without ‘V-Poles,’” said Mr. Coupland in a statement quickly reprinted by French, German and Italian media.

- The device, no larger than a telephone pole, would manage cell signals for multiple carriers, as well as wireless Internet for the surrounding neighbourhood. In-ground pads plugged into the pole would provide inductive charging for parked electric cars. An integrated touch screen would display maps, ads or payment interfaces, and an LED street light would be perched at the top of the pole. “You could pay for parking, you could pay for electric vehicle charging, that kind of thing,” said Sahdu Johnston, Vancouver’s Deputy City Manager.

- As wireless traffic climbs — and infrastructure expands in response — Mr. Coupland predicts that poorly-managed cities could become “as cluttered as a kitchen junk drawer.” “I like to get rid of as much crap as possible from the visual environment,” he said. It would not be the first time cities have been swamped by telecommunications clutter. One of Thomas Edison’s earliest inventions was the Quadruplex Telegraph, a device that allowed simultaneous messages to be transmitted along a single telegraph wire. Prior to the invention – in the mid 1800s – every single telegraph operator needed their own cable, resulting in dense urban jungles of telegraph wires that came close to blocking out the sun.

- The lightRadio technology is so compact that the cubes could just as easily be hidden under the eaves of a nearby house. Putting the technology in a pole is about making a “statement,” said Mr. Coupland. “Data transmission is no longer something scary you don’t want in your backyard. Now you want it directly in front of your house,” reads a V-Pole news release. Nevertheless, the poles are bound to attract the ire of a small but vocal Lower Mainland community of anti-Wi-Fi and anti-cell tower activists. Last month, Vancouver city councillor Adriane Carr pushed forward a resolution that would allow Vancouverites to “opt out” from using Wi-Fi-enabled “smart” power meters.

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[osmo]

Cool idea but I imagine these won't be cheap to get off the ground. So how does advertising work into this then? Tailored ads for businesses near by to reflect your interests (Special on vegan food or something if your a vegan with your Iphone near a new restaurant close the V-pole). I wonder. Cool tho nonetheless.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

The future is here! The future is now!