Developing Pathways to Smart Healthy Cities: the Nexus of Environment, Mobility and Health using Hybrid Approaches

In the talk Wenbo, discusses the intersection of urban planning, technology, and public health, emphasizing the evolution towards creating “Smart Healthy Cities.” It distinguishes between the paradigms of Healthy Cities and Smart Cities, highlighting their complementary aspects. The text underlines the role of technology in urban planning and healthcare, especially in monitoring and improving personal well-being. Key technological trends such as networking infrastructure and the Internet of Things (IoT) are noted for their potential in promoting healthier urban environments. Additionally, it introduces the concept of the environment-behavior-health nexus, stressing the importance of understanding human behavior in shaping health outcomes. Methodological challenges in studying this nexus, such as the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) and Uncertain Geographic Context Problem (UGCoP), are discussed, along with strategies to mitigate them using smart technologies. Future work could aim to integrate smart city technology and health-supportive city research to enhance human and environmental health.