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Houston gained new technology aimed at mapping out locations in the fourth most populous city in the country, the World Population Review reported.
Mayor Sylvester Turner and local community leaders revealed interactive kiosks made from a private partnership between the City of Houston and IKE Smart City, Community Impact reported.
“@IKEsmartcity kiosks reinforce our city's commitment to sustainable, equitable and accessible transportation services and resources,” Turner wrote on Twitter. “Each kiosk is equipped with free public access Wi-Fi and will connect people with many social services, jobs and skills training options available.”
IKE Smart City is a vendor that has built kiosks in and out of Texas. They’ll show advertisements and maps in their respective cities.
“People today that are traveling to Houston are traveling with mobile phones. We could produce an app and QR codes, and I think there is a better way to achieve the same goal,” At-Large Council Member Mike Knox said when the city voted to have the technology in May to Community Impact.
Everywhere one walks in Houston, there is a diverse range of restaurants and businesses. Turner said the new technology “will be an exciting new amenity to help guide people.”
“These kiosks are one of the many ways Houston is moving forward with creating more walkable spaces that make for a safer and more pleasant experience,” he continued in the release.
The mayor participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first of a total of 75 kiosks city leaders hope will be on intersections as part of Houston's Smart City initiative.
The kiosks provide Houstonians and visitors with digital maps and key information. People will also be able to connect their devices with the kiosks' free Wi-Fi.
According to Turner, the city has installed 25 wayfinding kiosks around the city.
“You cannot be a smart city if you don’t have smart technology,” he said to Community Impact. “And you cannot be an international, global city unless you are a welcoming city.”