Toronto has launched an open data portal, one of the key outcomes from the Canadian city's open data master plan and roadmap.

The Canadian government has once again reiterated its commitment to the smart city movement by officially launching a new $50m 'Smart City Challenge'. The innovative project has been specifically designed to encourage communities nationwide in the country to leverage new technology.

Shoppers at Carrefour in Mall of the Emirates may have come across an unconventional member of staff, “Tally”.

CASIO Middle East has announced the arrival of the 4000-lumens WUXGA projector Superior Series XJ-S400 models which feature a range of technological advances that are set to facilitate teaching in the region’s classrooms. Designed with the educator in mind, Superior Series projectors are optimized for the modern classroom, boasting easy, single-step set-up as well as a Moderator Function that allows for greater student participation.

China has revealed its plans which it believes if successfully executed will make it the world leader in AI (artificial intelligence) by 2030 - which would see the industry worth around $147.7 billion. China's state council disclosed a three-step roadmap it has established, in which it outlined its thinking behind AI and how it expects the technology to be developed and deployed.

China has been projected to lead the global adoption of 5G technology by 2023, according to research compiled by CCS Insight. CCS Insight have claimed that the country's booming market will ensure and facilitate that 5G is quicker out of the starting blocks than any other previous mobile technology.

China is leading the global race in the development of smart cities with the world’s second-largest economy now having over 500 smart city projects either ready or under construction.

A UK-based financial services firm has claimed that China has stolen a march on other countries, and will lead the global autonomous vehicle market, which is expected to be worth around $1 trillion by 2040. IHS MARKIT has suggested that China will spearhead the self-driving revolution and said that the country had already embarked upon a number of initiatives aimed at establishing itself as the major player in the emerging industry.

A Chinese city described as the country's most important 'smart city' has opened a new Sky-Rail monorail transportation solution which has been designed specifically to curb urban traffic congestion problems in the city. The Chinese city of Yinchuan opened the new Sky-Rail facility which was developed by Chinese sustainable technology colossus BYD. It's the company's first proprietary monorail transit solution.

Chinese firm YITU Technology (YITU) which is a leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and innovation has officially launched a new office in Singapore. The new facility will serve as the company’s regional hub in order to help YITU accelerate its award-winning and renowned AI and facial recognition solutions to whole series of new customers, partners and markets in regions such as Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau and Oceania.

A Chinese technology firm has confirmed that it has carried out the first manned trials of a new ‘drone taxi' service in the country.

South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company and multinational conglomerate Cisco has announced plans for a next-generation hyper-connected car that it hopes to officially unveil in 2019. In 2016, the companies announced that they had entered a strategic agreement in relation to a new approach to communication inside vehicles.

US technology firm Cisco Systems has announced that its technologies will be used to help roll-out free public Wi-Fi in London. Last week, London Mayor, Sadiq Khan vowed to make London the 'smartest city' in the world - and one way of ensuring that vision is to enhance 'connectivity'.

Cisco has unveiled further details behind its technology strategy for building a new internet — one designed to push digital innovation beyond the performance, economic and power consumption limitations of current infrastructure.

An insights and predictive analytics enterprise, Citi Logik, has won Data Pioneer of the Year Award at the 2018 UK Business Technology Awards.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (Hyperloop TT, HTT) announced the appointment of leading design and engineering firm, Dar Al-Handasah (founding member of the Dar Group), to assist in bringing the Abu Dhabi commercial system to reality.

The development of a new 'smart community' in Canada labelled one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken in the country is underway. REZ Real Estate officially confirmed that the construction of District Union, a project worth $900m has begun and signaling the emergence of a 'new smart, organic community' in the home of the Maple Leaf.

Cubic Transportation Systems’ (CTS) contactless payment system has expanded to Sydney’s train network. Heralded as a “game-changer for transport”, it will give commuters a wider choice to pay for ticketing including credit cards, smart watches, wearables and other electronic devices.

Transport for New South Wales’ plans to roll out the new contactless payment system follows its success on ferries and light rail. In 2017, the Manly Ferry was the first to receive the open payment system in a trial started by the project. As of March this year, more than 235,000 trips have been taken using the contactless payment technology.

“Expanding contactless in Sydney is a game-changer for transport and represents one of the biggest advancements in ticketing technology in years,” said Tom Walker, senior vice president and managing director of CTS, Asia-Pacific.

“We’re very proud that Sydney is helping to lead the way by embracing new technologies to provide the best services possible for passengers.”

The system is based on ticketing technology Cubic pioneered with Transport for London. Following its success in Australia, some of the contactless technology, software and equipment developed for Sydney will also be included in other cities such as New York, Boston and San Francisco in upcoming Cubic projects.

Global coffee colossus COSTA has selected Dubai for its innovative testing of its revolutionary new 'drone delivery' service. COSTA embarked on the trial due to customer demand - 82% of its UAE customers said they would use a drone to deliver food and beverages directly to them, and COSTA subsequently decided to undertake a unique trial in Dubai with its 'Drone Drop' service.

Significant investment from the CTA (Consumer Technology Association) and financial company Deloitte - has helped highlight the opportunities presented by the emerging sector in smart cities technology and solutions at this year’s CES 2018. The Consumer Technology Association has estimated that spending in the smart city sector will reach $34.35 billion by 2020.