Belfast City Council worked with local SME WeaveLabs on a collaborative urban waste pilot project that aimed to use data from bin sensors to predict how quickly litterbins fill up, and how variables such as public holidays or weather might affect this.

The pilot helped the council to better understand how litter bins are being used and how information generated could provide predictive modelling to make litter bin collections on our streets more efficient, saving resources and ensuring optimal bin collection routes. The project also helped to inform the council about suitable locations for litter bins and the appropriate types and number of bins that are needed in a particular area.

Lady wearing augmented reality headset

Belfast, leading the way in urban innovation

The Smart Belfast framework is about creating the circumstances in which cross-sectoral innovation can flourish to address urban challenges.

People cycling using Belfast's public bike hire scheme, Belfast Bikes.

Using machine vision to manage active travel routes in Belfast

This pilot is looking at how machine vision and machine learning can help to identify obstacles along Belfast routes that can reduce the capacity for more active travel.

Drone footage of green landscape, lake and clear skies

Urban drone technologies

With a strong aeronautical engineering tradition, it’s not surprising that Belfast is also emerging as an ideal testbed for urban drone technologies.