Six Scottish local authorities will soon benefit from a new IoT trial which could transform the experience of people who live within these communities.

Alongside Scotrail, Blackwood Homes and Care, as well as Borders College, the ‘IoT Accelerator Packs’ are being supplied by North – a leading UK IoT service and solutions provider.

The packs will provide access to real time data insights on several aspects of the communities, including waste management, air quality, social housing solutions, building health and water monitoring capabilities.

If used effectively, the trials have the potential to “transform the ways in which local communities live and work” and can deliver a “wide range of societal and economic benefits,” North said.

With access to the Scottish Government-backed Internet of Things network, IoT Scotland, and funded IoT Accelerator Packs, the organisations involved can investigate and evaluate the power of the technology.

Blackwood, Scotrail and Care and Borders College will be working with councils from Aberdeen, Angus, East Renfrewshire, the City of Edinburgh, Fife, and the Highlands.

Commenting on the trials, Alasdair Rettie, Group Technical Director at North, said: “IoT technology has the power to truly transform our lives, from revolutionising the ways in which we work, to ensuring that we live in safe and healthy environments. While providing us with the ability to access data which allows us to make informed decisions to improve services across communities.

“We are elated to assist these 10 organisations across Scotland, as they pave the way to use IoT technology to its fullest potential, enhancing their operations and existing systems.”

Rettie continued: “From connecting large scale cities to remote communities, the opportunities brought about by the implementation of IoT within our digital connectivity infrastructure are endless, particularly as we work towards Scotland’s social and economic recovery.

“The use of such solutions provides extensive opportunities and a vast number of benefits, and we are pleased to be able to provide these organisations with this opportunity.”

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IoT Scotland commented that, through the ‘IoT Accelerator Packs’, it is hoped that local authorities will “realise the benefits insightful and actionable IoT data can deliver, driving the adoption of IoT technologies and smart solutions to revolutionise the lives of people throughout Scotland”.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, Kate Forbes, added: “These innovative accelerator packs have been designed to help organisations explore Internet of Things solutions which can deliver sustainable social and economic benefits for local communities.

“Digital technologies like IoT help drive forward our economic recovery while reducing business costs and enabling progress towards net-zero emissions.”

The councils said data that is gathered through the smart solutions will “remain the property of the council” and all data will be handled in accordance with data protection and GDPR regulations.

Councils will have the opportunity to pay to expand and continue the solutions after the initial 12-month period if they so wish.