Innovation challenges
Here’s how we’re making Sunderland a better place for you to live, work and play. To find out more, or to get involved, contact us
Potential


Robotic Grass Mowers
You’ve heard of robot vacuums – now, get ready to meet Sunderland’s smart grass mowers.

Advanced CCTV Analytics
Our team is exploring an advanced CCTV strategy to keep you safe in our smart city.

Smart Trash Screen Monitoring
We’re exploring rolling out ultrasonic sensors that can measure the water height either side of a trash screen in a culvert to see if it needs cleaning.

Smart Gully Monitoring
Our Smart City team is exploring ways to introduce smart gully sensors, keeping families and homes safe in extreme weather conditions.

Smart Pest Control
Our team is looking at ways to retrofit sensors to existing bait boxes, measuring activity and tracking when bait needs replacing.

Smart Dust Monitoring
Battery powered sensors can be deployed across the city to measure dust levels at different sites.

Smart Noise Monitoring
By deploying smart noise sensors, we can measure sound levels in outdoor environments across Sunderland.

Smart Cycleways
Soon, we’ll be exploring ways to utilise smart cycleway technologies, to improve the experience of cyclists in our city.

Smart Roads, Kerbsides and Car Parks
We’re exploring a range of smart solutions to improve the experience of drivers in Sunderland city centre.
Planning


Smart Lifebuoy Monitoring
A new pilot of smart sensors within lifebuoy holders will help keep you safer by the sea.

Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS)
Sunderland’s advanced mobility shuttle trial will pilot three self-driving zero emission shuttles between the University of Sunderland City Campus, Sunderland Interchange and Sunderland Royal Hospital, helping design a more sustainable and accessible future for urban mobility.

WiFi Messaging Platform and Smart City App
Our team is working on a new app that will offer a window into activity across Sunderland, enabling residents and visitors to be fully connected in our smart city.

Smart Bin Fill Level Trial
With improved data on bin fill levels our environmental services team can implement more effective scheduling for the emptying of bins, saving time and fuel.

Smart Legionella Monitoring
We’re keeping council owned properties safe through smart sensors in pipes.
Live


Energy Efficiency and Smart Buildings
This project is not only environmentally responsible but also financially advantageous: the carbon reduction potential for 14 buildings is >1,000 tonnes per annum, with cost savings of around £40k per year through energy reduction efforts.

Traffic and Motion Video Sensors
Our smart traffic sensors collect important data on traffic flow across Sunderland.

Air Quality Monitoring
Using air quality sensors, we’re building an interactive map of air quality data across our smart city.

Assistive Technologies in Adult Social Care
The Sunderland Smart City team has introduced assistive technologies in people’s homes to manage people’s care, health and wellbeing.

Smart Rainfall Monitoring
Solar-powered rainfall sensors connected to our LoRaWAN network enable real-time reporting on rainfall.

Smart Playparks
We’re making Sunderland a place to both work smarter and play smarter, with new smart playparks.

Tech Startup Sunderland Programme
We’re working to support Sunderland’s aspiring entrepreneurs, with a programme to support the ambition to create 500 new technology startups underway.

Digital Careers Awareness
Our programme to increase awareness of digital careers and opportunities is underway with Sunderland Software City, supporting the growth of Sunderland’s digital economy.

5G IoT Accelerator
Our Sunderland-based startup accelerator helps young businesses bring ideas to life, boosting Sunderland’s digital economy.

5G Connected Automated Logistics (5G CAL)
Our 5G CAL pilot has successfully developed the UK’s first zero emissions automated logistics vehicle.