Smart Pole, Smart City, Smart Choice

Cristian Tanase - Schréder Hyperion Program Manager
Cristian Tănase
Program Manager - Schréder Hyperion

“Smart city” means something different for every city - there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to creating great urban spaces. Whether our customers want to make the most of their waterfront, revitalise green areas, or transform run-down industrial spaces into innovative residential areas, we can support them with the SHUFFLE. This endlessly modular, completely customisable smart pole is basically a smart city in a box.


The SHUFFLE is a connected, modular approach to urban hardware… a smart pole with plug-and-play modules that can be rotated and contain pre-certified hardware, all configurable to suit a multitude of needs. The first smart thing about the SHUFFLE is that everything can be in one place. Lighting, sensors, cameras, WiFi networks, electric vehicle (EV) charging points, light bands for zoning, or even 4G/5G cellular connectivity - whatever the customer wants - everything is there, meaning spaces are free of clutter and easy to navigate.

We approached this product from an end-to-end perspective, integrating hardware and functionalities that bring instant value to any city. We created a platform designed and engineered to enable a wide range of uses with virtually unlimited possibilities for customisation. The modular design means that units can be swapped in and out, and upgraded, maintained or serviced without taking down the entire pole.

Central to the design of SHUFFLE is a precision clamping system that enables the modular approach while also contributing to its structural integrity - the foundation of a structural design for absolute flexibility without compromising utility. The modular design provides 360-degree freedom for multiple mounting points for a variety of components.

SHUFFLE has a smart clamping system that enables modularity

With the SHUFFLE, we’ve created a platform defined by utility and flexibility, representing a very powerful and highly engineered city asset. The cherry on the cake is that it does not need heavy infrastructure to make everything work: the SHUFFLE has a wireless backhaul, so cities don’t need high infrastructure investments to take advantage of its connectivity. That means bringing the smart city directly to citizens.

Installing SHUFFLE poles makes a tangible difference to neighbourhoods. People can see them, interact with them and recognise them in a way that goes far beyond traditional luminaires. The smart pole becomes a useful part of daily life, whether that’s through keeping electric cars charged or showing them how busy certain areas are. And in a post-pandemic world where people are rethinking the way they use and navigate urban spaces, that’s a huge advantage.
 

Green Means Go

Sandwiched between Düsseldorf and Cologne, Langenfeld is a city known for its green spaces and high quality of life. Keen to harness the potential of technology to improve services, the local authorities set-up a smart city lab in Langfort Park to see what citizens found most useful before investing on a bigger scale. The park is lit with SHUFFLE modules which include environmental sensors to measure air quality and monitor air pollution.

The city of Langenfeld is collecting data from sensors installed on SHUFFLE columns to improve the quality of life for its citizens

Reducing energy consumption to save energy and lower lighting bills was also a key concern. Lighting levels are adjusted throughout the day to reflect use and in addition, the luminaires are fitted with a photocell which overrides the scheduled dimming so that the light only switches on when the natural daylight is too low. Providing light only when and where it is needed also reduces light spill to protect fauna and flora in the park. 

As well as this, the park enables human connection - with fast WiFi delivered by fibre optic cables in the SHUFFLE column. Free internet encourages visitors to stay longer, relax and read, and share special moments connecting with nature straight away. 
 

Invisible but Revolutionary: Schréder EXEDRA for Your City

Schréder EXEDRA is the most advanced lighting management system on the market for controlling, monitoring and analysing street lights in a user-friendly way. When I show it to mayors, planners and urban lighting experts, I explain that it’s just like the internet - you can’t see it, but you can see what it does.

The internet is invisible, but it has changed our lives. We keep in touch with loved ones, get our news, watch Netflix and learn online. It’s no exaggeration to say that the ability to work from home got a lot of us through the pandemic. Use cases emerged as the internet grew, and Schréder EXEDRA is the same. Like the SHUFFLE, it can transform your urban landscape by bringing together existing assets, new infrastructure, and the special magic that makes places unique.

This creativity isn’t limited to Schréder products, either. While we have a huge range of luminaires, we recognise that as with many other technologies, interoperability is the future. Schréder EXEDRA works with NEMA and Zhaga nodes, so whatever systems you choose for lighting, we can help you control them to save energy, money and time - and enhance life for citizens. 
 

Data Driven Drivers

The city of Oeiras was once considered a dormitory town for the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, but the local government has transformed it into a testbed for urban innovation where people love to live. 

Oeiras has a comprehensive system of EV charging points thanks to the SHUFFLE units with integrated light rings so that people can easily see from a distance if the charger is available or not. They are a vital part of the most complete, comprehensive and modern electric vehicle charging network in Portugal, which can charge up to 80,000km/day.

SHUFFLE light columns can be fitted with EV chargers and other features to provide more ecological infrastructure to towns and cities

The system is controlled by Schréder EXEDRA, so lighting can be dimmed at night when the spaces are not being used or adapted in real-time when events are taking place. The system is also fitted with sensors to capture data, so the town can understand where demand is coming from. Getting insights into how people use the EV chargers will be critical in sizing, scaling and shaping the right infrastructure for the future.

Before working at Schréder, I was at Apple, and I love to see the improvements in urban life brought about by smart technologies. As cities consider how to build back better after the pandemic, lighting infrastructure is an area where investment makes a huge - and very visible - difference. SHUFFLE and Schréder EXEDRA can bring a whole new life to cities - what could they do for yours?
 

About the writer
Cristian joined Schréder Hyperion in 2019 after 13 years at Apple where he worked in a number of roles including the Technology Integration Program, where he collaborated with hardware developers and manufacturers to help build platform differentiating, next generation products. Cristian is now helping move Schréder forward into the connected world of IoT and bridging the gap between technology and applications. Originally from Romania, he spent many years in Ireland and is now living with his wife and two children in Lisbon, Portugal, working from Schreder’s technology excellence centre.

Connect with Cristian on LinkedIn.