VOORBIJ DE HYPEWAARDEVOLLE TECHNOLOGIE IN AMSTERDAMVALUEABLE TECHNOLOGIES IN AMSTERDAM

BEYOND THE HYPE

VALUEABLE TECHNOLOGIES IN AMSTERDAM

BEYOND THE HYPE

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Dear Amsterdammers,

What is our vision for techno-logy? And how do we want to use that technology for our city in the future?

To transform the concept of a responsible digital city into a re-ality, we as citizens and politici-ans must continue to understand how technology works and how it can benefit us.

We want to create a digital city using technology that works for

the people of Amsterdam. Tech-nology is not neutral; it is made by people.

We want technology that ma-kes our lives more pleasant, not more restrictive. This calls for critical reflection on negative aspects of technology, which in turn requires experts to translate the potential of technology into concrete applications within and for the city. It may also mean that we make a conscious decision not to use certain technologies. But which technology should

we use? As a city, how many in-house experts do we need in or-der to be able to recognize the dangers and exploit the oppor-tunities? Which technologies are not yet all that useful or relevant for the City of Amsterdam?

The City of Amsterdam is in the process of introducing new tech-nology at various locations, in the fields of innovation, frameworks and strategy, and data and so-lutions. Technology has a major impact on how the city works. So much so, that technical expertise is

FOREWORD

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becoming more important when it comes to choosing solutions for urban tasks.

There is a need for more robust and better structured advice regarding the usefulness and necessity of new technology. The Chief Technology Office is committed to accelerate social and technological innovations, and to ensure that technology is applied within legal, ethical and moral frameworks.

For this reason, we are developing

our own vision on technology and thinking about how we as a city want to use that technology.This process has resulted in this technology roadmap: an annual review of the technologies that have an impact on both the city itself and the City of Amsterdam as an organisation.This is the first edition.

Or, rather, version 0.5. Above all, this document represents the start of a continuous dialogue on the application of technology for the city of Amsterdam.

I would therefore like to invite you to add to or improve this roadmap, because we certainly do not have all the answers.

Ger Baron, CTOMaarten van Haasteren, Temporary CIO

Valueable technologies in Amsterdam 1 Introduction 82 The Free City 113 The Sustainable City 134 The Creative City 175 The Connected City 196 The Inclusive City 237 The Democratic City 278 How Amsterdam choses Tech? 29 An innovation assessment framework9 The 2019 roadmap 3010 Tech Catalogus 34

INDEX

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And, all of a sudden, it’s here. A new technology arrives and eve-ryone takes the plunge. It snow-balls into a hype and everyone agrees that this is something we should be embracing!

Some hypes last, others die a si-lent death.

A technology roadmap like this one actually presupposes that a technology (and the accompan-ying hype) is in itself a driving for-ce, a guiding light. And for many companies, this is very much the

case. For governmental orga-nisations, however, technology needs a context. A purpose. Otherwise, technology is preci-sely just that, technology – no-thing more. Technology can also inspire, but this inspiration must be geared towards addressing a social issue or an urban objec-tive. We are on a quest to find technology that is useful and adds value.

For example, the hype surrounding Blockchain has now died down and technological developments

are in full swing; their potential is currently being explored in ses-sions with the Amsterdam Eco-nomic Board, StartupAmsterdam and the City of Amsterdam.

Of course, the city has been working on this for some time, and nationally there are already 100+ pilots using this technology. The goal now is to come up with concrete situations in which this technology can be applied.

So, it is certainly not the case that Amsterdam has been idle

INTRODUCTION

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when it comes to technology. In a year in which Amsterdam is ce-lebrating 25 years of the internet in the city and 25 years of the Digital City, we have every rea-son to be proud to see our ur-ban innovative initiatives being accompanied by and paving the way for global projects. A good example of this is our collabora-tion with New York and Barcelo-na to form a coalition of cities for digital rights.

In this spirit, the CTO and the CIO have developed a roadmap that hones in on the values of our city; our collective vision for technology, and the values that will underlie that long-term visi-on. The coalition agreement of May 2018, “A new spring and a new sound”, serves as a basis for this.

In this roadmap, these values are used to describe and assess the projects already underway and to shed light on the oppor-tunities, while never losing sight of technological innovation.

You may find that some texts in the roadmap are repeated, but it is not intended to be read in chronological order. Find a sub-ject you are interested in and read that section from start to fi-nish. Alternatively, you can also browse through the Tech Cata-logue for clear explanations of specific concepts and projects.

Ultimately, the goal of this road-map is to provide insight into the paths already taken and to un-leash potential for forging new paths – without the whole pro-cess becoming too complicated, or anyone losing their motivation

along the way. It might also pro-vide more inspiration for other projects. The possibilities are endless.

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THE FREE CITYFreedom is a valuable asset for the city of Amsterdam, both at an individual and social level.

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It is about personal and collective freedom, to be yourself without restricting the freedom of others. It is precisely these freedoms that the city wants to safeguard. Tech-nology must cherish and defend these freedoms and strengthen them where necessary. In many cases, the internet is the epitome of freedom. People meet and work together, regardless of where they are, how old they are, or where they are from. In 2001, the American legal scholar and founder of Creative Commons, Lawrence Lessig, said in an article for technology magazine Wired:

‘If the Internet teaches us any-thing, it is that great value comes from leaving core resources in a commons, where they’re free for people to build upon as they see fit.’

In other words, the internet is a place where public value should be cherished, where value pre-servation and value creation are central.

New regulations such as the Cookie Law and the Gene-ral Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provide a clear legal

framework for what companies and governments can do with data. For example, citizens have the right to request access to data – which belongs to them – at any time. To this end, the City of Amsterdam launched an onli-ne helpdesk last summer so that the city’s residents can submit such requests.

The Decode programme is ai-ming to develop technology and tools for storing data securely and in a distributed way, for chec-king transactions and confirming facets of identity without having

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to disclose your entire identity (e.g. whether someone is 18+ or lives in Amsterdam Noord). A prototype is now available, and we expect the tools to be ready for production in 2019.

The city does not track Amster-dammers as they go about their business, unless there is no other option, for example, for police investigations. As such, the city does not allow other par-ties to monitor Amsterdammers by collecting data, for example, in public spaces.

For example, tracking peop-le via the internet connection (Wi-Fi tracking) on their mobile phones will be prohibited and a public register will be develo-ped which will list the locations of cameras and sensors. Through Tada (https://tada.city)),

a collaborative partnership bet-ween various parties – including the City of Amsterdam – we are highlighting the importance of data as well as our and resi-dents’ commitment to handling that data responsibly. In fact, we are even striving to be an exam-ple to other cities.

Rapid technological develop-ments mean that some parties are increasingly earning more money and gaining power over others. The City of Amsterdam is committed to providing training courses in technology as well as retraining programmes so that its residents have equal oppor-tunities and are able to find and keep doing meaningful work.

Digitisation also means that all kinds of activities are carried out automatically. Amsterdam wants

to prevent invisible and incom-prehensible algorithms (digital decision trees) from determi-ning or restricting people’s lives, or favouring some over others. Together with the business com-munity, the city is working on ways to test the operation of al-gorithms and make them trans-parent.

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Everyone in the city wants Am-sterdam to be in good health by the time it reaches its 800th birthday, and everyone wants to live in a city where they breathe clean air and can still travel from A to B in no time at all. Where public space is managed intelli-gently, and the city does that as sustainably as possible.

This will require ambitious tar-gets, such as Amsterdam being gas-free by 2040 and a 95% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. In the meantime, retaining

the support of the people of Amsterdam is vital. Everyone should be able to participate in the initiatives of the more sustai-nable city. The city is currently working on issues that will have a bearing on the city’s gas-free status. For example, work is currently underway on Amster-dam’s ‘digital twin’ or ‘Twin City’. Here, technologies such as aug-mented and virtual reality can be used to investigate the ef-fects of sustainable initiatives on the city, for example.

In 2019, we shall continue to ex-plore this development as well as other potential opportuni-ties for the city of Amsterdam. Ambitious targets also require ambitious innovative solutions. Research is currently underway to find out whether heat from server parks can be used to heat houses. At present, most of the heat is lost completely, which is highly regrettable. This project will present a huge in-frastructural challenge. In order to address social issues which will most certainly arise as the

Making sustainable choices. We have been doing this for years but, due to media attention at the end of 2018 about the climate agreement and its objectives, these choices have undoubtedly become

the subject of discussion in many homes across Amsterdam.

THE SUSTAINABLE CITY

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smart route planner would therefore be useful, enabling the collectors to choose their route based on traffic information and container alerts. A planning tool is currently being developed which will incorporate such information.

Leaving the car at home or indeed no longer owning a car. Sustainable developments should make this an even easier choice for the people of Amsterdam. As part of the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) project, which was launched in 2018, a group of Amsterdammers participated in an experi-ment in which they received compensation for giving up their car. There is much to gain here, which is why expanding and continuing to learn from MaaS initiatives is a top priority for 2019. By experimenting with future developments now, we will soon understand the possibilities and implica-tions. For example, AMS is currently developing an autonomous boat. In the future, this may be used to transport goods by water, in order to partly reduce congestion in the city.

In 2019, but certainly also in the years to come, the city will, by acquiring this knowledge, implement initiatives wherever possible that will ensure that Amsterdammers continue to breathe clean air in the city.

process goes on, the city is com-mitted to supporting research into finding the best technological so-lutions.

Another ongoing project is Smart Assets – the clever use of smart objects in public spaces – which will facilitate predictive manage-ment in public spaces. Take smart waste containers, for example, which can indicate how full they are. The container can be emp-tied before rubbish bags end up littering the street. As such, sustai-nability is promoted in two ways: rubbish trucks are only sent when they are needed, and rubbish does not end up cluttering public spaces.

However, there is little point in rubbish collectors emptying smart containers at exactly the right time if their truck gets stuck in traffic; a

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Visionaries, gamechangers and pioneers. Falling down and dus-ting yourself off. This is what people in the worlds of Art and Culture and IT have in common. Both IT and art help us visualise the future. People who work in these worlds think outside the box, give their imaginations free rein, and create things beyond the realms of the familiar.

Creativity adds flesh to the bones of technology and brings it to life. The power of culture and the inspiration it provides is a key factor in social cohesion

and quality of life. In recent de-cades, art and culture have play-ed a role in the vitalisation of the city.

IT platforms, apps and virtual and augmented reality make it possible for cultural events to re-ach more people, but also to get a larger group of people actively involved in cultural happenings. The first open data for objects in public space was for art objects. Thanks to collaboration bet-ween artists, art policy makers, IT policy makers, and the support of the IT professionals, the arts

management office was able to create a website featuring infor-mation about art objects. https://amsterdam.kunstwacht.nl/

The creative industry has enor-mous potential to maintain con-nections between the worlds of art, culture and IT. Events such as the Dutch Design Week in Eind-hoven and What Design Can Do in Amsterdam increasingly show how design, living and working are interconnected, generate new concepts and breathe new creative life into different sec-tors.

THE CREATIVE CITY

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Artists think outside the existing frameworks and are not held back by the status quo. They are leaders in new ways of thin-king. Initiatives that work in the world of art and culture are often adopted by other industries and are often the inspiration behind new models. Example: http://sync.nl/innovatie-in-de-cultuur-sector-marres-en-art-partner-doen-het-zo/

It is therefore only natural that we want to seek connections between the worlds of techno-logy and creativity. Artists can help to answer social, organisa-tional and technological questi-ons.

Often, there are similarities be-tween the lifecycle of a pie-ce of art and the lifecycle of an application. One day they

are unknown and intended for other purposes, the next they are known across the world and have become invaluable. In the early days, YouTube was supposed to be a video dating site. When that did not work out, the owners decided to open the website to all video content. In the 90s, text messaging was conceived as a means of com-munication between technici-ans on transmission masts. It is this creativity and open mindset which will help transform tech-nology into new, useful applica-tions.

VOORBIJ DE HYPEWAARDEVOLLE TECHNOLOGIE IN AMSTERDAM

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There is no such thing as a typi-cal Amsterdammer – especially as there 180 different nationali-ties living in the city.

The threats that lie in wait must never be allowed to change this. If we do not exercise caution, in-equality will win out.

Amsterdam is a safe haven for all Amsterdammers. Technology can-not infiltrate people’s minds. Exclu-sion stemming from discrimination will not be solved by technology. Technology and innovation must

take this diversity into account and must never inadvertently in-fringe upon these freedoms.

For example, there is the risk that algorithms will exclude peo-ple for the wrong reasons. In collaboration with various part-ners, Amsterdam is involved in various sessions which address this subject. Safeguarding inte-grity during development is vital, but so too is transparency when evaluating such software.

Everyone is treated the same,

regardless of how much money they have, who they love and what they believe in.

“Connected” also means that the people of Amsterdam can find each other.

The challenge of the self-driving car is just around the corner. The expectation is that, by 2025, technological developments will have reached the point where self-driving vehicles will be ready to take on relatively straightforward traffic situations.

In Amsterdam everyone is free to be themselves, and so everyone is different.

THE CONNECTED CITY

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to this challenge with new innovations and using technology to make transport accessible to everyone who needs it.

If an Amsterdammer is no longer able to participate for whatever reason, it is vital that they are offered suitable assistance. The Moderne Overheid (Modern Government) program is exploring ways of improving matching between companies and jobseekers (who are currently receiving bene-fits).

How can we use data to find solutions? That is, solutions that benefit the city, and ensure that the people of Amsterdam do not drift apart, but come closer together.

But straightforward traffic situa-tions are few and far between in Amsterdam. How will the city have to change in order to accommo-date such cars?

The GoOV app, a route planner for people with a cognitive impair-ment, is currently in development. People who use GoOV have men-tal disabilities, brain injuries, psy-chiatric disorders, or are senior citizens.

In collaboration with the Doel-groepenvervoer (transportation for specific target groups) pro-gram, the city wants to ensure that future developments are geared towards those who have additio-nal quality requirements for their transport due to mobility restricti-ons.

Where possible, we are responding

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Equal and fair treatment, equal and fair access and equal and fair opportunities; all Amsterdam-mers are entitled to these rights. It does not matter where they live or go to school. In Amsterdam, everyone has access to the same information, opportunities and in-sights.

At the same time, it is only right that we commit to reducing the increasing inequality levels in the city – from inequality in income and health to job opportunities and finding a place to live.

Technology can be a force for good when it comes to equality, but it is not without its dangers. An algorithm (a digital decision tree) must be impartial, which is why the City of Amsterdam, in collaboration with the business community, is auditing its existing algorithms. We are working to-gether to devise procedures for assessing such software, which will then probably be rolled out across other municipalities.

A well-known algorithm is that used to process students’ pre-ferences for secondary schools.

A less well-known algorithm is the one used by the new system that assesses alerts about public spaces and automatically assigns them to the appropriate city de-partment. SIA: https://meldingen.amsterdam.nl

In the Amsterdam of 2025, tech-nology will play a vital role in the safeguarding of equality. Amster-dammers will not be pigeonholed with ones and zeros because;

Equal access: People have ac-cess to the same information, services, database and portals.

THE INCLUSIVE CITY

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Open is the key word here. This means that power relationships will also become more transpa-rent and accountable.

Amsterdam works along the principle of ‘open unless’. Where possible, the City of Amsterdam’s data portal offers access to data to those who are seeking it – hobbyists, the press, or parties that want to use the data to crea-te a mobile application.

Equal treatment: Individuals are not filtered according to personal characteristics or background. Choices are made by you, not for you. Participatory policy-making also ensures that a range of voi-ces are heard.

Data mining and profiling tech-niques within Big Data and the Internet of Things sometimes

unintentionally make distinctions between people or groups of people. These differences can be reinforced if they are docu-mented in software. Do we really want people to always receive different information or offers ba-sed on certain characteristics?

A transparent charging station for electric cars will soon be instal-led on Raamplein. The pole will provide information about how the charging process is progres-sing. It will explain why charging is taking longer than expected, or why one car is getting more po-wer than another. There is not al-ways enough power for everyo-ne at the same time; a GP might take priority, for example. The-se kinds of issues are currently being discussed.

Equal opportunities: We have

also made the necessary invest-ments to help those people who need active support in order to be able to participate. People have the chance to learn and de-velop new skills, and we are pro-viding clear information so that people can make decisions. This will ultimately result in a more equal society.

Various social initiatives have al-ready been launched in Amster-dam to digitally empower people. The Codam programming school ensures that everyone who wants to – regardless of their qualificati-ons – can follow a course in pro-gramming.

Differences between groups of people – in terms of access, skills and use of technology based on certain characteristics – can also lead to digital inequality. How can

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we make sure that we Amster-dammers continue to treat each other (and technology) fairly, now that digitization is permeating every aspect of our lives?

Shared ownership will lead to more equality in terms of access and participation. Shared res-ponsibility fosters cooperation in which different interests are ta-ken into account. The concept of data commons could play a role here for the city of Amsterdam. This way, residents would be in a better position to take a stand against platforms and large com-panies. This topic will be the sub-ject of discussions throughout 2019.

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The essence of democracy is that we have the right to participate and have a voice.

All Dutch nationals aged 18 and over have the right to vote, ex-cept in a handful of exceptional circumstances. There are various ways in which you can make your voice heard. They include repre-sentative advisory councils, works councils, consultation evenings, and newspaper announcements to which objections can be rai-sed. The coalition agreement sti-pulates that, by the jubilee year in 2025, Amsterdam as a whole will be more democratic and that eve-ryone in the city will benefit from this, regardless of where they live in Amsterdam or where they

come from. Everyone’s voice is important, and everyone will have access to information so that the right social and economic choices can be made.

Many of the resources for pro-moting democracy have not yet been translated into contem-porary technological tools. For many occasions at which citizens want to make their voices heard, labour-intensive and time-consu-ming processes have been set up. For Amsterdammers, informa-tion is not always available, or it is not easy to access or is difficult to

find. For example, not everyone reads announcements to find out that their neighbour wants to add a fifth floor to their house, meaning it is difficult or impossible for them to object to the plans. Inequality of information and participation in decision-making has no place in a democratic Amsterdam. The city has already introduced various initiatives to address this issue.

A collaborative partnership has been set up between Amster-dammers and entrepreneurs who want to do more for their own neighbourhood and the city. The

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THE DEMOCRATIC CITY

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First of all, everyone must be able to keep up with digital develop-ments.

To this end, guidance and support must be offered to Amsterdam-mers who are alienated from the digital world. We are very much aware of the importance of digi-tal inclusion, which is why many of the initiatives in the Agenda for the Digital City are addressing this issue.

Amsterdammers will gain more insight into the information the city has stored about them in its systems. This will increase trans-parency and trust. An existing city data point of contact will be ex-panded, and a lot of hard work is being done to expand https://mijn.amsterdam.nl – where all Amster-dammers will be able to find out what their data is being used for.

democratic process is gradually improving and becoming more user-friend-ly. As such, Amsterdammers are able to communicate their ideas more easily and they have more of a say in decision-making processes. The city and its people are working together to find solutions.

Examples of this cooperation in practice include the various online plat-forms and co-creation places in the city’s districts. The De Stem van West (https://stemvanwest.amsterdam.nl/) platform is a good example of an on-line community where Amsterdammers can share information and ideas easily.

This vision of the open city is also reflected in how Mayor Van der Laan is honoured in the city. A platform was launched so that the residents could find a way of honouring the former mayor together, resulting in a propo-sal that had broad support. Thanks to a standard template it is now much easier to set up such platforms.

In 2019, more of them will be used for various issues throughout the city. We will ensure that the people of Amsterdam will have access to and under-stand how to use these platforms so that their voices can be heard.

Being more democratic also means showing solidarity; protecting and sup-porting the weakest in society who need more time to adjust to all the chan-ges. Amsterdam must stay in balance and we must never lose sight of the human factor.

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HOW AMSTERDAM CHOSES TECH

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Innovation and the associated technologies are developing rapidly. To be able to respond effectively to both developments, it has been decided not to write long-term design and innovation plans, but to opt for an assess-ment framework as formulated in the “I-Visie” (I-Vision), which was presented in 2018.

Assumptions and assertions must be reassessed on a regular basis so that timely adjustments can be made, and a flexible attitude is required in order to be able to respond successfully to trends and developments.

This assessment framework supports the periodic assessment of the way in which existing and new technology and innovations are used and stimulated. The “applicability“ and “potential” of these new and existing technolo-gies and innovations are evaluated as part of this process.

Depending on the assessment results, the City of Amsterdam has a number of options; invest in the relevant development, monitor it from a distance, stimulate it or leave it to others.

An innovation assessment framework

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INVEST FOLLOW

STIMULATE LEAVE TO OTHERS

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HIG

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THE 2019 ROADMAP

THE FOCUS IN 2019 In 2019 we will focus on five specific technologies; projects and initiatives will be launched in parallel to each of these tech-nologies.

1. Artificial IntelligenceThe first forms of AI have already been implemented but to a very limited extent. Algorithms for pu-blic space alerts and secondary school choices are particularly good examples of this.However, AI has so much more to offer and can potentially make

a positive contribution to various social issues at play in Amster-dam.

2. Blockchain Amsterdam has many different processes involving all kinds of transactions and software that keeps track of them. There are currently a number of initiatives underway using Blockchain tech-nology. We will use the know-ledge we have already gained as well as sessions with stakeholders to explore opportunities that may arise from using this technology.

3. Augmented and Virtual RealityIt is already impossible to ima-gine games without it, but what role could this form of technology play in a dynamic city? There are plenty of examples worth mentioning (even Albert Heijn has used Augmented Reali-ty in promotional campaigns) and, using our current knowledge and through ongoing projects, we will gradually learn where, how and to what extent this technology can be used in the city.

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4. Data management in Amster-damAmsterdam has a lot of data, ac-cess to the data of others, and is committed to making this data public where possible. There are several issues and opportu-nities at play here. During ses-sions we will delve deeper into how we could manage our data and explore whether there are any hidden opportunities for the city.

5. The Digital Identity of Am-sterdamAmsterdammers have a digital identity, which entails both rights and obligations There is an in-creasing need for data, but the-re are also many moral and legal frameworks. Several initiatives have already been launched to address and explore this “allo-wed/not allowed and can/can

not” matrix. Throughout the year, we will be holding Digital Identity sessions to gain a clearer under-standing of how we actually deal with digital identities and how we can use technology to make the most of opportunities for the city.

6. ... Technology nowadays moves forward at lightning speed and sometimes you have to seize opportunities as they arise. And that is precisely why we have not yet assigned a technology to this sixth item. If and when it emerges, and can potentially benefit the city, we will not waste the opportunity!

APPROACH FOR 2019 1. Desk research/Editing a. What is already happening in Amsterdam in terms of techno-logy and innovation?b. What documentation is availa-ble within the city? c. What are others (public and private institutions) doing in terms of technology and innova-tion?d. What are the known legal, mo-ral and ethical frameworks? e. What is the current state of technology?Product: Overview and insight into the current initiatives, know-ledge, frameworks and maturity of the relevant technology/inno-vation.

2. Session with experts a. Opportunities and possibilities b. Best practicesc. Brainstorm

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d. Technology experts e. Connection to the Implemen-tation Agenda.Product: A broad overview of the proven applicability and possible opportunities. The brainstorm session has helped us identify opportunities, possibilities and best practices for Amsterdam.

3. General meet-up a. Discussion of options with people from all walks of lifeb. Add opportunities and threats c. Respond to ambiguitiesd. Demonstrations of the techno-logy (if possible/necessary) Product: Report on the options, comments by experience ex-perts in the city, opportunities and threats.

4. Recommendations and secti-on for the Roadmap Implementation options and

recommendations, plus lead times, also form part of the road-map. Is it a trigger to carry out a pilot scheme or will it improve or modify an existing process or policy? Product: Section in the 2019 Roadmap with the possibilities for Amsterdam clearly outlined.

SCHEDULE FOR 2019 1st quarter: - February: Kick-off and distribu-tion of technologies- February: Publication of latest version of the Roadmap (version 0.5) - February/March: Desk research- March: First session with ex-perts

Initiatives for the five specific technologies will be launched simultaneously in the first pha-se. Individual plans will be drawn up for further development, but all components will generally be delivered in the same quarters.

2nd quarter - April: First versions of the tech-nologies (that are ready for this stage). First review round.- May: Other versions of the tech-nologies and revised versions.

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Subsequent review rounds. Work on the roadmap for 2020, including drawing up a schedu-le, will also start in this period. This will be delivered earlier than the 2019 version, so that the departments will be able to devote more time and attention to it.

The last of the sessions with the experts will take place in the 2nd quarter. Preparations for delivery will take place in the 3rd quarter. General meet-ups will be plan-ned, invitations will be sent.

3rd quarter: - July: Delivery of the 2019 Road-map plus drafts- July / August / September: Ge-neral meet-ups. (Continues until start of Q4)

4th quarter: - October/November: Delivery of results and incorporation in the 2019 Roadmap.- November/December: Publica-tion of the 2019 Roadmap

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LEGENDA TECH CATALOGUS

MATURITY OF TECH

HYPE CYCLE ( GARTNER )

INNOVATION TRIGGER PEAK INFLATEDEXPECTATIONS

DISILLUSIONMENT SLOPE OFENLIGHTENMENT

PLATEAU OFPRODUCTIVITY

CONCEPT PIONEERING PROVEN LARGE-SCALECOMMERCIALPRODUCTION

MATURE(OPEN-SOURCE)ECOSYSTEM

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SOCIAL ADOPTION

PUBLIC PERCEPTION

READINESS OF THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM

VERY NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEUTRAL POSITIVE VERY POSITIVE

ENTHUSIASTS VISIONARIES PRAGMATISTS CONSERVATIVES SCEPTICS

UNKNOWN PIONEERS FIELD TRIALS IN PRODUCTION ESTABLISHED

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5GWith the latest tele-com technology, 5G – the successor to

2G, 3G and 4G – smart phones and other devices will be able to connect to the internet faster, using higher frequencies and with im-proved reliability. 5G is considered to be the corner-stone for the Internet of Things and the key requirement for innovati-ons such as self-driving cars that generate large amounts of data and constantly communicate with each other. The implementation

of 5G will have a huge impact on IT infrastructure, but is still raising many social concerns, for exam-ple, about the number of antennas required and the corresponding radiation. Related: Cloud, IoT, Edge Compu-tingCase: A number of 5G antennas have been tested at the Arena Boulevard. In 2019 the City of Am-sterdam and partners will create the first 5G street in collaboration with residents.

Agile/ScrumAgile/Scrum is an or-ganisational method whereby teams work

together towards a goal without knowing which route they are going to take. An Agile/Scrum team often works in sprints (from 2 to 3 weeks) on concrete results in close cooperation with an internal or external customer and makes the product directly available to user groups. Teams organised according to the Agile/Scrum method are often more direct, flexible, motivated

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TECH CATALOGUS

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and goal-oriented than others. Related: DevOps, Microservices, Containerisation with Docker, Cl-oud Computing

AlgorithmAn algorithm is a se-ries of steps which, from an initial state,

leads to a result. In some circles they are called digital decision trees. For example, the city uses algo-rithms to categorise alerts and notifications about public spa-ces according to subject (using Machine Learning). The city also uses algorithms to allocate school places to future “bridge students”. Algorithms increasingly determi-ne what information you receive

and what choices you can make on the basis of that information. In light of the increasing influen-ce that algorithms have over our lives, more and more attention is being paid tobiasin algorithms and ways of guaranteeing their transparency and comprehensi-bility.

Related: Machine Learning, Pri-vacy by DesignCases: Amsterdam is working with KPMG on the AI in Control programme, which is putting the functioning and transparency of a few of the city’s algorithms to the test.

As-a-serviceWith As-a-service, the use of an infra-structure or product

– from servers and software to lighting – is offered as a service. All expertise, facilities, hardwa-re, security, management and life-cycle management are sup-plied and taken care of by a pro-vider. The customer only pays for using them, and the provider has complete freedom when it comes to organising the neces-sary infrastructure and expertise. As-a-service makes technology more accessible, creates eco-nomies of scale and increasingly ensures better service and im-proved levels of sustainability. As-a-service models have many advantages but sometimes the user runs the risks of a vendor lock-in.

Related: Cloud Computing

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Augmented Reality In Augmented Reali-ty, objects and infor-mation are added to

reality, for example, directly on the lenses of glasses or on ca-mera images on a mobile device. Additional information about the environment is often displayed, such as directions or work in-structions. Augmented Reality became a household concept thanks to the game Pokémon Go, where players go outside in search of fictitious animals. Augmented Reality is conside-red to be an important new me-dium for offering and sharing ex-periences in which the physical and virtual worlds merge. Com-panies such as Facebook (AR Studio), Apple (ARKit), Google (Google Glass, ARCore), Micro-soft (HoloLens) and Magic Leap are investing heavily in glasses

and advanced technologies to accurately project objects onto the physical environment. 5G supports real-time AR.

Related: Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, 5G

Big DataBig Data is the result of the increasing digitisati-on of our society. As a

result, large amounts of data are col-lected – at high speed – using chan-ging structures. Not all Big Data is or may be used, but linking data can lead to new insights into organisa-tions, markets, individual behaviour and socio-economic trends. The amount of data stored and processed is growing exponenti-ally. This is because consumers themselves are storing more

and more data in the form of files, organisations are produ-cing more and more data and more devices are collecting and exchanging data themselves as part of the Internet of Things. Not only is the processing and storage of Big Data a challenge that requires new technologies, such as streaming platforms and NoSQL databases, but the ana-lysis of this data is also playing an increasingly important role. Big Data has led to the prolifera-tion of fields such as Data Scien-ce and Machine Learning. Most advanced technology com-panies and start-ups are using the combination of Big Data and Machine Learning to radically improve areas such as healthca-re, services, industry and mobili-ty. But Big Data also exposes us to the dangers of personal monitoring, profiling and manipulation.

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Related: Machine Learning / A.I. , Internet of ThingsCase: Amsterdam is using an in-frastructure (SIA) that collects all the signals from public spaces – from alerts to sensor data – and passes them on to the entire or-ganisation.

BlockchainBlockchain was cre-ated as an immuta-ble list for transacti-

ons with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Just like a bank, all transactions must be listed the-re. Banks and companies do this in a general ledger. General led-gers underlie much of the infra-structure on which we rely every day and are simply lists in which all data exchanges are recorded.A Blockchain is a decentralised

general ledger owned by all par-ticipants in the network – not the bank. The participants work to-gether using cryptographic cal-culations to validate and add the data to the general ledger. They are often paid in crypto coins. The advantage of a well-distri-buted database is that it cannot be changed by one party, such as hackers. It therefore establishes a new standard of trust, transparen-cy and open access. As a result, Blockchain technology has the potential to become the bedrock for new economic models and power structures. The field of blockchains, crypto coins and smart contracts is very confusing, with numerous ob-jectives, technologies, networks and economic structures. The low transaction speed, enormous energy consumption, fluctua-ting value and theft of crypto

coins are preventing blockchain technology from becoming mainstream – for now.

CloudcomputingWith Cloud Compu-ting, IT services such as servers, storage,

databases, computing power and software are offered to users di-rectly and on demand via the inter-net. This is appealing because you don’t have to manage expensive and labour-intensive infrastructure yourself and you can start using it straight away. Cloud providers such as Amazon, Microsoft (Azure) and Google or-ganise large-scale computer capa-city in data centres and distributeit among their customers using advanced software platforms. Sharing computers makes it more

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flexible and sometimes cheaper. Special, complex calculations concerning Machine Learning and A.I. – which are increasingly used by governments – are also becoming faster and cheaper thanks to specialised cloud ser-vices.A disadvantage of cloud services is the heavy reliance on commer-cial parties, decreasing in-house IT expertise and rising costs. This is why some organisations opt for a private cloud, but Containerisa-tion with Docker can also ensure that infrastructure and applicati-ons can be moved easily. More and more open-source cloud management platforms are also becoming available.

CybersecurityCybersecurity is the defence of computers, servers, mobile devi-

ces, electronic systems, networks and data against harmful attacks. It is also sometimes referred to as IT security or the security of electronic data. The term is broad and applies to everything that has to do with computer security, disaster recove-ry and educating end users.Due to our greater dependence on computer systems, the internet and wireless networks, as well as the rise of the Internet of Things, Cyber-security is becoming increasingly important. Due to political tensions across the globe, cyber wars and the vulnera-bility of computer systems, cyberse-curity is a major challenge facing us today.Related: Privacy by Design, Internet of Things

Containerisation with DockerWith the arrival of Docker in 2013 and

containerisation, it has become much easier to install, mana-ge and develop software such as web servers, databases and other components. The idea is that your applications run on a simple virtual computer – in a container – that you can start up easily wherever Docker is installed. This teases applica-tions away from specific servers so they can run anywhere: in the cloud, on a local server or on a laptop. Containerisation also facilitates the large-scale reu-se of infrastructure. With just a few commands developers can, for example, start a database or start prototyping at lightning speed. Since running software therefo-

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re involves less system manage-ment, developers can take care of their own infrastructure. This has paved the way for a new way of working and shared res-ponsibility: DevOps. Containerisation also facilitates open-source software sharing because the software and rela-ted components can be started immediately without having to set up servers.

Related: Cloud. DevOps, Micro-services, Open Source

DevOpsDevOps is a new way of developing software where the

responsibilities of developers (develop) and system adminis-trators (operations) are brought

together in one team. The busi-ness side is often added to the team, in the form of BizDevOps. With DevOps software is quick-ly, cyclically and iteratively pro-grammed and tested by users according to Scrum/Agile me-thods.

Related: Containerisation with Docker, Microservices, Agile/Scrum, Cloud

Digital IdentityDigital Identity is the digital representati-on of who and what

you are, which is necessary for in-teractions with digital systems. In the same way that governments guarantee the authenticity (and, where necessary, privacy) of indi-viduals and organisations in eve-

ryday life – for example, birth cer-tificates, passports and driving licences – this is also becoming increasingly important online. It is vital that you are able to identify yourself online and obtain con-firmation that you are authorised to access certain information, purchase services or arrange various matters. Examples used by the government include DigiD and the business login for the Tax and Customs Administration por-tal. Digital Identity is becoming incre-asingly important and new tech-niques like Blockchain are beco-ming more relevant. It enables the government to provide more services by confirming or auto-matically filling in more details of citizens without releasing too much data (data minimisation). Digital Identity also plays a signi-ficant role when it comes to gre-

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ater transparency, accountability and privacy choices regarding the use of personal data by the government and other parties.

Related: Privacy-by-Design, Blockchain, CybersecurityCases: As part of the European Decode programme (decodepro-ject.eu), Amsterdam is working with partners on new concepts, infrastructure and applications concerning Digital Identity.

Internet of ThingsThe internet is incre-asingly being used to connect devices

as well as people. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to devices that communicate with each other and exchange data, perform calcula-tions and carry out tasks via the

internet. The development of the IoT is like-ly to be rather turbulent in the de-cades to come and is set to play a major role in how we organise our lives and the way in which indus-trial production takes place. The first applications are already on the market; for example, you can use your smartphone to re-motely turn on the heating at home and monitor your energy consumption, while sensors in the road surface provide up-to-date information about the condition of the road surface, precipitation and traffic density. IoT devices can also be given a degree of autonomy; for example, cameras that, based on people’s behaviour, can alert the emergen-cy services. Cybersecurity within the Internet of Things is still a major issue.

Related: 5G, Cloud Computing, Edge Computing, Cybersecurity

Edge ComputingWhereas Cloud Com-puting calculates everything remotely,

Edge Computing uses a different principle. With Edge Computing, data is processed as close to the data source as possible. Exam-ples include data from a sensor in the computer of a self-driving car. Safety depends on the ability to communicate – in real time – with other vehicles, traffic systems and the driver.

Related: Internet of Things, 5G, Cloud

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Green DatacentersGreen Data Centres are data centres in which sustainability,

circularity and energy manage-ment have been integrated into the design. The internet is con-suming a increasing amount of energy. According to rough esti-mates, internet energy consump-tion will increase from 10 to 20 percent of the total global energy consumption by 2020. Large tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Apple are increasingly taking responsibility for their energy consumption by making data centres more energy efficient and generating their own green energy. When choosing a cloud provider, it is important to consider how sustainable it is.

Related: Cloud, As-a-service

Machine Learning en A.I.Within the field of Ma-chine Learning and

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) algorithms are being developed that are capa-ble of learning from data and making predictions without being program-med in advance. Examples include classifying e-mail as spam, reading handwritten letters or detecting unu-sual incidents such as fraud. Machine Learning technologies have been around for decades but have become much more effective over the past 10 years, simply be-cause of the growing computing po-wer of computer networks and the amount of Big Data. Research shows that algorithms perform considerably better if there is more data available.Machine Learning challenges the idea that the behaviour of compu-ters and algorithms can always be understood by their programmers.

Despite the fact that Machine Learning is responsible for major innovations – from self-driving cars, robotisation, virtual assistants and diagnosing diseases – criticism is growing about the lack of transpa-rency, the concentration of power and the replacement of humans in the job market.

Related: Algorithms, Big data, Virtu-al Assistants, Open Source, Open DataCases: Amsterdam has used Ma-chine Learning to make it consi-derably easier to create and cate-gorise alerts about public spaces (meldingen.amsterdam.nl). Algo-rithms have also been developed that can recognise rubbish on ima-ges so as to have an up-to-date overview of the quality of public spaces.

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MicroservicesIn a microservices approach, a software project is divided

into smaller, clearly defined com-ponents that are run as separate programs – services – that com-municate simply with each other. Microservices enable the team of developers to develop rela-tively independently, simultane-ously and thus quickly. Such an approach also reduces risks be-cause a poor service can easily be replaced without having to res-tructure the rest of the project. Microservices require a new infra-structure in which DevOps teams can easily and quickly launch, up-date and manage the services, for example with Containerisation with Docker in the cloud. Micro-services are flexible but can also produce complex infrastructures that require a lot of maintenance.

Related: Cloud, DevOps

New / Future InternetIn recent years, sever-al flaws in the current design of the internet

have been exposed, such as the lack of privacy, the centralisation of power, tracking, wasted capacity and improper ownership of data. Many theoretical and practical ini-tiatives are emerging which aim to improve or reinvent the existing in-ternet in different ways. For exam-ple, new versions of the internet are not dependent on central plat-forms (peer to peer), guarantee the anonymity of internet users (e.g. with Tor or Solid), disrupt the do-minance of central marketplaces (distributed apps), offer transparen-cy and accountability (blockchain) and share computer power and

infrastructure (e.g. Golem or Maidsafe).

Related: Blockchain, Digital Iden-tity, Cybersecurity

No/Low Code With No/Low Code, content experts can create software

themselves without program-ming. For instance, you can use No/Low code to create websites, mobile apps and dashboards or to set up infrastructure such as databases and application pro-gram interfaces (APIs) instantly.No/Low code allows organisati-ons to convert innovative ideas from within the organisation it-self into innovative products and services even if they lack the technical skills and expertise.

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As such, it creates an essenti-al bridge between internal de-mand, substantive knowledge and technical expertise. Related: Containerisation with Docker, As-a-service, Cloud ComputingCases: Amsterdam has develo-ped an open-source App gene-rator that can be used to quickly generate and manage countless simple internal mobile apps.

Open dataOpen Data acknow-ledges the impor-tance of publicly ac-

cessible information for free and easy use in research, journalism, software development and com-mercial applications. The idea is that there will be more innovation and value creation if data is used

multiple times by multiple parties. When data represents great value, which can be shared and multi-plied in special ways, it is referred to asdata commons. Open Data is in keeping with go-vernment interests, such as provi-ding basic infrastructure (for exam-ple, Publieke Data Op de Kaart or the Land Registry), guaranteeing an equal economic playing field (tenders on Tendernet), transpa-rent markets and open governan-ce.

Cases: Amsterdam publishes a lot of data as open data on data.am-sterdam.nl.Related: Open Source, Big Data, Machine Learning and A.I., Internet of Things, Algorithms

Open sourceIn the case of open-source software, the source code is re-

leased under a licence in which the owner grants users the right to ac-cess, modify, distribute or sell the source code. This can create a com-munity that, using tools such as Git, develops the software together and provides support to users. This often results in free programs for end users. Notable examples include the opera-ting system Linux, office applications by Apache Open Office/Libre Office, websites created with WordPress and the PostgreSQL database. Open Source fits well with public va-lues such as access to technology, public return on public investment (public money, public code), transpa-rency of algorithms and the cost-ef-fective sharing of solutions between governments.

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Cases: A lot of software developed in Amsterdam is published as open-source software on Github (https://amsterdam.github.io/)

Related: Open Data, Algorithms

Privacy by DesignPrivacy by Design is the intentional appli-cation of data pro-

tection during the design, deve-lopment, use and management of a technical product. Most technical products and services require data. Privacy by Design minimises the requi-red data by either not storing it at all or by anonymising it. Via an opt-in, you can ask users to share more data in exchange for improved services. You can also remind users of the risks of weak

passwords or offer two-factor authentication. Current legislation such as the GDPR requires the careful stora-ge and management of personal data, an obligation to report and severe penalties in the event of data breaches. Privacy by De-sign can be used to take several measures to reduce the impact of data breeches, for example, by pseudonymising the data by means of encryption. Related: Cybersecurity, Digital Identity, BlockchainCases: With the Tada! (tada.city) Manifesto, Amsterdam and partners have committed them-selves to principles that ensure data is handled carefully.

Virtual RealityVirtual Reality refers to virtually experi-encing a simulated

environment, usually through glasses. Users have a compelling visual and auditory experience, sometimes complemented by ex-tra haptic feedback or interaction with physical objects. VR is seen as the next step in the consumption of digital experien-ces which, because of their reality and compelling nature, can com-pete with video games and films. Despite large-scale investments by companies such as Facebook (Oculus), HTC, Samsung (GearVR) and Sony (PlayStation VR), Virtual Reality has not quite yet mana-ged to become mainstream. High costs and limited amount of quali-tative experiences are hampering adoption. It is also labour-inten-sive and expensive to create a credible virtual environment and experience. Augmented Reality seems to be better positioned here since it relies more on the

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existing physical environment. Related: Augmented RealityCases: The City of Amsterdam is working on a digital version of the city, Digital Twin, where Am-sterdammers can experience and contribute towards the future of their city.

Virtual AssistantsVirtual Assistants (or chatbots) are compu-ter programs that pro-

vide information and can perform tasks requested via speech or text, such as looking up a recipe, up-dating your diary, booking flights, and even answering your telepho-ne. In the future, you will probably also come across virtual assistants in call centres and help desks. The large tech companies are in-vesting heavily in virtual assistants

(Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, etc.) because people can communicate with virtual assistants much more easily through speech rather than using screens and buttons. In the future, virtual assistants will probably guide us through a wor-ld where software and the internet are omnipresent, despite the fact that there are still many pressing questions about privacy and per-sonal autonomy. Related: Machine Learning and A.I., Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Privacy By DesignCases: An experimental chatbot has recently been introduced to provide internal support services within the City of Amsterdam.

Serverless ComputingServerless Compu-ting divides software

into generic components or func-tions that are executed directly from the cloud when called up. Serverless Computing does, of course, use servers, but the task of managing, developing and mo-nitoring them does not fall on the developers. Serverless Computing is a next step towards making computer power more flexible and modu-lar. It prevents waste and can be cheaper, but it may also mean that the developer becomes highly dependent on the cloud provider.

Related: Microservices, Cloud, DevOps, As-a-service

Quantum computingQuantum Compu-ting is the execution of calculations using

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quantum-mechanical phenome-na such as superposition and en-tanglement. Existing computers work with transistors that encode and process data using just two different values (0 or 1, called bits). A quantum computer uses qubits that can have multiple values at the same time. Despite the fact that the computer power of exis-ting computers has already incre-ased enormously, many calculati-ons (e.g. simulating molecules) are still far too complex to perform. Quantum computers open up a world of possibilities. However, Quantum Computers can also pose a challenge to the protecti-on that complex calculations offer us – for example, when encryp-ting data.

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Colophon

Beyond the Hype

Copyright © 2019 Municipality of AmsterdamTech Catalogus: Creative Commons with name entry:

Paul BontenbalAik van EemerenJuan Carlos GoiloMilou JansenSjam JokhanMark van der NetSiham El Yassini

Print: 0.5https://karsenboom.com/Design: Studio Kars + Boom