How did this profession come about?

In 1991, Xerox lab researcher Mark Weiser came up with the idea of "pervasive computing" (Pervasive Computing). The future world, the scientist thought, will be imperceptibly saturated with sensors, displays and computing elements connected into a single network and being integral elements of everyday objects. " And by the end of the 2000s, this prediction came true, since our lives were filled with small mobile devices, as well as wireless networks and mobile navigation.

And in the early 2010s, the concept of "ambient intelligence" was formed - an electronic environment that helps a person in his daily affairs, as well as a "smart environment" - that is, a set of systems - sensors, sensors, processors and networks - that allows "environmental intelligence" function. Smart systems began to become more complex, more often used and gradually introduced into the world around us.

Smart systems are distinguished by the fact that the user can control them remotely, as well as the fact that their various sensor parts are able to “communicate” with each other and make a “decision” on their own - for example, to warn of a fire or start extinguishing it without human intervention. Or just boil the kettle an hour before the owner arrives home, or vacuum the apartment at a certain time. What can we say about much more complex systems, such as urban infrastructure. Here, smart systems are similar to matryoshka dolls: they are saturated with separate devices inside basic devices with their own separate functionality.

Of course, building such complex, multifunctional and efficient systems requires a very well-trained and versatile IT engineer. Maybe you will be such a specialist?

Let's see in what areas you can apply your talent

Smart House

Intelligent systems in your apartment can not only turn on the light on a voice command or greet the owner of the house with a joke or anecdote, but also prevent trouble, which is most important. For example, a leakage sensor "detected" that a pipe in the bathroom has broken, after which it sends a signal to a device that automatically shuts off the water supply to this pipe and notifies the owner of the accident via mobile communication. The task of the smart systems engineer is to ensure that such a warning system works without interruptions and failures.

Smart city

Technologies for managing urban systems are very, very different, but everything is aimed at making the life of the inhabitants of the metropolis easier and safer. You've probably heard about a complex video surveillance system that helps to catch criminals or find lost children. And then there are sensors that recognize the sounds of shots and indicate the place where they were fired, or inform utilities that the dumpsters are overflowing and it is time to empty them.

It takes a long time to list the spheres where smart devices operate - water supply, clinics, shops, parks ... The main thing is that all these are elements of one global urban system. Therefore, a smart city engineer needs to have a systems thinking that will allow building an artificial intelligence architecture for the benefit of people.

Smart transport

Any modern city has automatic transport control systems - from traffic lights to electricity and the Internet. First of all, such systems are aimed at ensuring traffic safety, and of course, at monitoring traffic jams and, in general, traffic congestion.

Smart systems deliver information about traffic and alternative ways to avoid it (for example, take a train) to citizens' mobile devices, or lay complex multi-directional public transport routes from one end of the city to the other. And then there are smart parking lots that show the user the number of free spaces ... In general, the field of application of engineering knowledge is also very extensive ...

Smart epidemiology

The coronavirus pandemic has made its own adjustments in the life of multimillion cities - it became necessary to protect every inhabitant from the possibility of infection. To control the process, a variety of technological solutions have been designed by smart systems engineers. For example, a video surveillance system with special settings allows you to record whether people wash their hands in the office, wear masks and observe social distance, while thermal imagers measure the temperature unnoticed by all employees.

And outdoors, robots and drones monitor the situation. A video is available on YouTube showing a robot dog patrolling a park in Singapore and reminding passers-by of the distance. Read about the electronic dog as a part of an intelligent system below in the "It's interesting" section.