Smart Cities and Public Safety Made Possible with MQTT and HiveMQ

As companies continue on their digital transformation journeys, so too do the government and public safety departments charged with keeping constituents protected and informed. Demand from these organizations for near-real-time information in emergencies, round-the-clock situations or site monitoring, and automated response warnings drives the need for reliable IoT data movement and connectivity. The Internet of Things (IoT) for Public Safety Market Research report cited that the global IoT in public safety market grew from $2.61 billion in 2022 to $3.05 billion in 2023 as new initiatives require modern technology for better preparedness, response, and mitigation of risks and emergencies.

To take advantage of IoT data and its insights, organizations turn to the MQTT protocol to facilitate reliable communication between devices and sensors. The integration of MQTT in public safety applications can offer advantages such as real-time communication, efficient data exchange, and scalability. For example, emergency services and first responders can benefit from the ability to quickly and reliably exchange information in critical situations.

MQTT is revolutionizing the landscape of Smart Cities and enhancing public safety. Read on to learn from three real-world examples that showcase the transformative power of MQTT to enhance the way we live.

Berlex - Optimizing Traffic Management

Berlex manufactures comprehensive solutions that make traffic closures safer for everyone on the road. Berlex deploys HiveMQ to power its newest generation of cloud-based portable traffic signals to minimize traffic congestion and solve for inefficient signal control.

MQTT allows real-time data exchange, enabling traffic lights to adjust dynamically based on traffic conditions. The system receives updates from various sensors, including vehicle detectors and pedestrian crossings, allowing for adaptive signal control. The result is a significant reduction in congestion, improved traffic flow, and enhanced overall efficiency in urban mobility.

IAV - Advancing Environmental Monitoring

Flash flooding and heavy rain are a big problem for keeping roadways clear of traffic and collisions. In partnership with the Research Institute for Water and Waste Management, IAV, a company involved in automotive development, wanted to give advanced warning of flooding events. IAV needed a protocol to send telemetry data to the cloud and facilitate over-the-air updates for devices in each car. When considering protocols, IAV compared MQTT and HTTP, ultimately choosing MQTT. The decision was influenced by MQTT's lightweight nature, which reduces overhead compared to HTTP. Additionally, MQTT offers quality service features that HTTP lacks, and MQTT's client authentication proved to be more straightforward.

HiveMQ provided a reliable, high-availability MQTT broker that could be used across various projects. The clustering features of HiveMQ, along with professional support, made it a preferred choice for IAV. This implementation ensures efficient and reliable communication for telemetry data and updates, contributing to the overall safety and performance of the automotive systems developed by IAV. The flood management project has been successfully deployed on 100 vehicles equipped with a device that can access the windshield wiper data. The device transmits approximately 50 pieces of data every second to the HiveMQ broker.

Hytera - Strengthening Public Safety Communication

Hytera, a provider and manufacturer of mission-critical communication solutions, exemplifies how MQTT transforms communication and coordination among emergency services. Hyera wanted to deliver highly available and secure radio communication to public safety organizations such as emergency services and industry or public transportation.

The HiveMQ MQTT broker was used to collect information on the technical status, capacity, and radio user operations from all base stations in a communications system This allows people to monitor the availability and usage of the communication services and enable additional capacity if needed. This interconnected communication system enhances response times, coordination, and overall effectiveness in handling emergencies, ultimately contributing to a safer urban environment.

Building Innovate Solutions for Smart Cities with MQTT

MQTT's role in creating Smart Cities and enhancing public safety is evident through these case studies. HiveMQ’s platform allows for the integration and communication of a large number of devices. This kind of scalability is important in public safety solutions, where a diverse range of devices and sensors need to communicate within a network. Moreover, HiveMQ has robust security features and capabilities to ensure secure MQTT messages. In public safety solutions, where sensitive information is exchanged, enhanced security measures protect against unauthorized access and ensure the integrity of data. Additionally, HiveMQ’s interoperability and ability to integrate with technologies such as Kafka are vital in public safety solutions where diverse systems, sensors, and devices from different manufacturers may need to work together seamlessly.

As Smart Cities continue to evolve, MQTT will play a crucial role in shaping urban environments that are efficient, sustainable, and safe for residents. Whether optimizing traffic management, advancing environmental monitoring, or strengthening public safety communication, MQTT proves to be a versatile and powerful technology.