SmartAmerica Challenge

The SmartAmerica Challenge brings together organizations with Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) technology, programs, and test beds to demonstrate the potential to improve safety, sustainability, efficiency, mobility, and overall quality of life. Cyber-Physical Systems—sometimes referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT)— involves connecting devices and systems in diverse sectors like transportation, energy, manufacturing, and healthcare in fundamentally new ways. The SmartAmerica Challenge aims to accelerate advances in the field by providing a venue for innovators to present concepts for interconnected CPS technology, programs, and test beds to demonstrate the potential of improving the economy, fueling job creation, creating new business opportunities, and saving lives.

During the SmartAmerica Challenge Kick-off Workshop held on December 12, 2013, more than sixty five participants from many different sectors formed teams, identified a variety of test bed collaboration scenarios, and laid out preliminary approaches to move them forward. 

To build on the success of that meeting, the Presidential Innovation Fellows held a follow-on meeting on February 11, 2014 at the NIST Gaithersburg, Maryland campus. At the February 11 Tech Jam over 150 participants heard presentations on 18 (of the 20) current projects. Some of the project briefings included: technology that will provide improved healthcare from the home to the hospital and back to the home; a system that will provide peace of mind and safety for the elderly living on their own; automobile systems that will provide a safer driving environment; and a system that will be put in to improve driving and decrease energy usage.

On June 11, 2014, 24 teams with over 100 organizations came together at the Washington DC Convention Center for a demonstration. The event was a huge success with keynote remarks by senior government leaders including U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park and General Services Administrator Dan Tangherlini, as well as live demonstrations by 24 SmartAmerica technical teams. The projects showcased ways that the Internet of Things can improve transportation, emergency services, health care, security, energy conservation, and manufacturing.

More information about the SmartAmerica Challenge can be found at www.smartamerica.org. See Expo for the list of speakers and News for media coverage. Details on the projects can be found at Teams.

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