This document discusses how the city of Chicago is utilizing MongoDB for its smarter city initiative called WindyGrid. WindyGrid integrates data from over a dozen sources and visualizes it on a map to provide situational awareness. Location is a common element across city data and provides opportunities for research. The University of Chicago has deployed sensors across the city as part of the Array of Things project, which frequently posts hyper-local data on sound, temperature, and more to WindyGrid. This open data is accessed through MongoDB and contributes to making Chicago a smarter city.

1. UTILITIZING MONGODB FOR A SMARTER CITY
WINDYGRID

5. LOCATION IS OFTEN THE COMMON
ELEMENT IN CITY DATA. MOST OF
THE DATA AND POTENTIAL
RESEARCH LIES IN LOCATION. THIS
HELPS DICTATE THE TYPE OF
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY NEEDED
FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.

6. Built using open
source software,
WindyGrid is a real-
time situational
awareness system
that brings over a
dozen data sources
together into a single
application. Later this
year, it will be released
as an open source
project.
WindyGrid

7. WindyGrid

8. db.data_set.findOne()
{
“what” : {
…describes what happened…
},
“where” : {
“latitude” :
“longitude” :
},
“when” : {
“timestamp” :
},
}

9. Array of Things
University of Chicago has
partnered with multiple
institutions to build a mesh
network of small sensors,
dubbed the Array of Things,
that will frequently post data
for public consumption and
to WindyGrid.
arrayofthings.github.io

10. Array of Things
The Array of Things will provide hyper-
local, temporal data on using a variety of
sensors:
Sensors measuring sound and
vibration
Low-resolution infrared cameras
measuring sidewalk temperature
Climate and environmental data,
such as air-quality and temperature

11. Array of Things

12. Array of Things

13. OPEN INTERNET OF THINGS
Array of Things WindyGrid

14. OpenGrid is now an open source software that can be deployed in your
organization.

15. THANK YOU
Contact Info:
Websites:
This presentation uses several images licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license from: Dan X. O’Neil, including Hackers at Hack Night, Lorem Ipsum
Night, lkjsdou, lkjnxi, lkjsoina, Allikksdf, lkjsidfl
Tom Schenk Jr.
Chief Data Officer
City of Chicago
@ChicagoCDO
tom.schenk@cityofchicago.org
data.cityofchicago.org
opengrid.io
github.com/Chicago/opengrid