The challenge

Context of the challenge

A smart city is an urban environment that uses technology, data and digital connectivity to improve infrastructure, enhance public services and create a safe and sustainable liveable environment. These sensor-rich environments are developed through a complex supply chain of vendors.

Understanding more about the way they work can help mitigations be put in place around any potential risks for privacy or information security.

To better understand these threats, HMGCC Co-Creation requires a user-friendly solution that enables us to see an immersive version of any global city.

The gap

Although the ability to create a 3D virtual city exists and some open source smart city data is openly available, what is rare is bringing these datasets together.

A functional 3D map must not only visualise the city layout but specifically layer the various smart city nodes (such as CCTV, streetlights and utility sensors), with a particular interest in sensors using wireless connection protocols. The data ingestion pipeline must also be able to handle global data.

Example use case

Monica assesses the risk of smart city attack vectors.

Traditionally, this requires searching massive databases or physically visiting a site. Using smart city digital twin software, she can provide an increasingly efficient risk mitigation service.

This software not only offers the visualisation of a city, but includes up to date information from local government and private industry when new smart city nodes are installed.

This information may be exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and may be exempt under other UK information legislation. Refer any FOIA queries to the originating department.

When Monica receives a report of a vulnerability in a specific wireless protocol, she uses the digital twinning software to query which devices are affected and view their exact locations.

This helps her find out the locations of devices and triage engineering works by the criticality of need. An example of this could be identifying a vulnerability that affects both streetlights and a water treatment centre.

Project scope

This challenge focuses on augmenting commercial systems by adding a layer of
smart city nodes onto 3D visualisations.

The outcome should be a demonstrator after a 12-week project, to a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 – technology basic validation in a relevant environment. The software should be delivered to the sponsors further testing.

Essential requirements:

• Provide software that can visualise a city in a 3D view.
• Display the smart city nodes and their interaction with communication points
  and other sensors.
• Where the data is available, include precise locations of nodes, sensor types,
  manufacturer, and associated datasheets / internet links.
• Develop a data ingestion pipeline to render new cities or update information.
• Include an admin mode – allowing users to add data and modify software
  independently.

Desirable requirements:

• Consider interactive user interfaces, for example, but not limited to virtual
  reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
• Consider future requirements of a solution on a mobile device.
• Estimations of future development and maintenance costs.
• Ability to add additional data / information layers, such as bus stops, rail
  stations, EV charging locations.
• Ability to filter data by node type (e.g. CCTV) and communication protocol (e.g.
  cellular).
• Visualisation from the point of view of the user (e.g. pedestrian or cyclist)

Constraints:

• Demonstrators may use cloud computing, but future versions must work on-premises.
• Utilise open-source data for the initial phase of work.

Not required:

• Physical surveys or primary collection of new smart city data.

Eligibility

This challenge is open to sole innovators, industry, academic and research organisations of all types and sizes. There is no requirement for security clearances.

Solution providers or direct collaboration from countries listed by the UK government under trade sanctions and/or arms embargoes, are not eligible for HMGCC Co- Creation challenges.

How to apply – Phase one

Please submit your application on the HMGCC Co-Creation website. Any queries please email [email protected].

All information you provide to us as part of your application will be handled in confidence.

Applications must be no more than one page or one slide in length. HMGCC Co-Creation reserves the right to stop reading if this limit is breached. The page/slide limit excludes title pages, references, personnel CVs and organisational profiles.

All proposals will be assessed by the HMGCC Co-Creation team.

There is no prescribed application format, however, please ensure your application includes the following:

Applicant details: Contact name, organisation details and registration number.

Scope: Describe how the project aligns to the challenge scope.

Innovation: Describe the innovation and technology intended to be delivered in the project, along with new IP that will be generated or existing IP that can be used.

Deliverables: Describe the project outcomes and their impacts.

DESIRABILITY

Phase one applications will be assessed using the following scoring criteria:

• How closely does the proposal directly address the challenge?
  • Does the proposal achieve all essential requirements?
  • How many desirable requirements are achieved?
  • Is this something the users want?
• How well is the benefit for government and dual-use described?
  • Is the benefit to the users well described?
  • Have the applicants identified dual-use markets?
• Ambition of the proposed solution?
  • Does the solution provide an incremental step in capability or significant leap?
  • Does the solution introduce a new idea?

Following assessments, the successful applicants will be invited to submit a more in-depth proposal in phase two. There will be feedback given to the successful applicants to aid their full proposal submission.

How to apply – Phase two

Applications must be no more than six pages or six slides in length. HMGCC Co-Creation reserves the right to stop reading after six pages if this limit is breached. The page/slide limit excludes title pages, references, personnel CVs and organisational profiles.

There is no prescribed application format, however, please ensure your application
includes the following:

FEASIBILITY

• What is the technical credibility of the minimum viable product proposed?
  • Is it technically possible?
  • Are there key technical risks overlooked?
• Likelihood of the minimum viable product reaching or exceeding the minimum required Technology Readiness Level (TRL)?
  • Does the proposal aim to reach the minimum TRL?
  • Assessors’ confidence in the proposal from technical perspective?
  • Will the proposal exceed the minimum TRL?
• Credibility of the team regarding technical and project management skills?
  • Does the team have all the relevant expertise?
  • How experienced are they?
  • Have they delivered something similar before?

DESIRABILITY

• How closely does the proposal directly address the challenge?
  • Does the proposal achieve all essential requirements?
  • How many desirable requirements are achieved?
  • Is this something the users want?
•  How well is the benefit for government and dual-use described?
  • Is the benefit to the users well described?
  • Have the applicants identified dual-use markets?
•  Ambition of the proposed solution?
  • Does the solution provide an incremental step in capability or significant leap?
  • Is the proposed solution unique to the applicants?

VIABILITY

• How well is the exploitation route described?
  • Is the proposal just aiming to deliver the minimum for the project? Or have they got a project plan post phase one?
  • Are they thinking about commercial exploitation routes?
  • Are there rough costings for future work?
• How well does the proposal demonstrate value for money and are the costs broken down and justified
  • How much time and resource is spent on a project for the cost?
  • Is there a perceived high ambition for the cost?
  • Is there a robust costing plan?
• How well is the project delivery described leading to the minimum viable product?
  • Is there a Gantt chart or similar?
  • Are there proposed outcomes after each sprint?
  • Are the applicants experienced in Agile methodology?

Invitation to present

Successful phase two applicants will be invited to a pitch day, giving them a chance to meet the HMGCC Co-Creation team and pitch the proposal during a 20-minute presentation, followed by questions.
After the pitch day, a final funding decision will be made.

For unsuccessful applicants, feedback will be given in a timely manner.