Smart City Expo, taking place at Fira de Barcelona this week, is showcasing technologies designed to address urban challenges including transport, public safety and an ageing population. The displays range from an autonomous electric aircraft intended for passenger trips and emergencies to robots for traffic management and healthcare, as well as solar streetlights that operate without cables.
Chinese company Ehang is presenting an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed to carry two people without an onboard pilot. The company says the aircraft is already operating in 40 locations in China for uses including urban taxi services, rescue work and industrial operations. Its European vice-president, Ricardo Ortega, said the company is based at Alguaire airport in Lleida. The aircraft has a stated range of 30 kilometres, or 15 to 20 minutes depending on its load, and is intended for tourism, point-to-point transport and access to hard-to-reach areas during emergencies.
Robotics company Aimoga has brought four models to the expo. Among them are a robot designed to assist in shops and at events, and a security robot that rides a scooter and can direct traffic, check parking or guide groups in public spaces. Company representative Jiang Donglei said the model uses positioning and navigation technology, has a two-hour operating time and is already in use in Wuhu, China. Aimoga is also displaying a nurse robot with a screen on its torso, designed for tasks including patient triage, assistance in hospitals and companionship in waiting rooms.
French company Fonroche is presenting a remotely controlled solar streetlight that requires no cables or trenching. The company says the design can reduce maintenance costs and avoid copper-cable theft. Its Spanish director, Yoann Beguin, said the lights have been installed at campsites and in Alcorcón and Seville, while discussions are under way with the city councils of Valencia and Huelva. Fonroche has also been shortlisted in a competition to supply 14,000 larger, more powerful lights for Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Other exhibits focus on monitoring and public safety. South Korea’s Seongnam is presenting a patrol robot that has been operating since 2025 in station plazas and parks. Using image recognition, it can detect incidents such as fires or people collapsing, alert a control centre and issue emergency announcements. A traffic camera from Kazakhstan-based Noise Locator uses microphones and artificial intelligence to locate excessively noisy vehicles and identify their registration plates. A separate system developed by Daver, an EIT Urban Mobility project, measures several vehicle pollutants as cars pass, without stopping them or disrupting traffic.
The expo is also addressing how urban environments affect people with dementia. The University College London’s Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory is demonstrating a simulation of a pedestrian crossing from the perspective of someone with dementia-related visual perception difficulties. The laboratory can recreate settings such as streets and stations at full scale while controlling light, sound and smells, allowing urban planners and municipal officials to examine the challenges faced by older residents.
Barcelona’s municipal authorities and Fira, with the participation of the Fundació Mobile World Capital, have selected two proposals to test artificial intelligence in traffic-light management. Companies Kapsch and Acisa will each receive €100,000 for pilot projects. The city’s public transport operator TMB has also presented a tool to assess bus speeds and identify routes or locations where changes could improve service. Municipal company BSM is displaying plans for a future ultra-fast charging hub for Endolla Barcelona, the city’s public charging network.
Sources: El País Portada.