City OS (aka City Operating System) was an open source utility monitoring and resource allocation initiative I led development of while overseeing technology at Arcosanti. The goal was to measure, manage, and co-evolve the core utility systems in the micro-city with the help of the residents.
I deployed fleets of tracking devices, using sensors that connect to the internet to collect and graph data from core resources consumed by the city. Viewers see use of utilities for locations of choice in real-time. Various "triggers" were to be used to notify residents of issues (like a broken water valve), and sometimes even correct the issue automatically.
City OS boosted collective awareness amongst the city residents for how to see how the city as a living organism that all can maintain the health of. I hoped increasing resident participation would decrease waste and boost overall health of the city organism. Unfortunately, project never reached past beta stage, but remains a useful study in how a City OS can be made.
For more information, visit my Arcosanti Network project here.
