150 firms to test their smart technologies at Croke Park

The burgeoning global Internet of Things (IoT) market will see more than 25 billion devices connected to the internet by 2020. Research firm International Data Corporation estimates the global IoT market will reach $7.1 trillion by 2020, as people around the world – and particularly in developed nations – get an affinity for full-time connectivity.

One of the most significant barriers to the development of the IoT industry has been identified as the lack of test beds to trial new technologies for wide-scale deployment.

Against this backdrop, 150 companies will converge on Croke Park this Friday to find out how they can use the stadium as a living lab to trial their smart technologies and ultimately develop them for use in a Smart City context.

As part of this transatlantic collaboration, two living labs have been created simultaneously in Croke Park Stadium and Sun Devil Stadium in Arizona to test the capabilities of IoT technologies in these unique environments.

Researchers at Dublin City University and Arizona State University have partnered with Croke Park Stadium and Intel to develop technologies that will enable cities to function smarter. Their work aims to embed data from the growing network of technology-enabled everyday devices, into a city's infrastructure, making it more responsive to residents and their need to work, rest and play better.

The industry forum at Croke Park will facilitate collaborations for multinationals, indigenous start-ups and entrepreneurs, allowing companies to see how the stadium can be used as a stepping stone to launching their product or service to market.

Online world

Attendees will learn how they can beta test and pilot new ideas and solutions for connecting the physical with the online world; ways that allow smarter living.

Current IoT projects under way in the stadium include monitoring pitch quality and stadium microclimate, analysing athlete’s performance, predicting traffic to and from the stadium and developing apps that indicate queuing times at refreshment and convenience facilities.