James May June 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 11
“If your product
can pass its tests
here, you can
run in an urban
environment
like downtown
Atlanta.”
— MAYOR MIK E M AS O N
adjacent to the autonomous vehicle test track, I visited
25,000 square feet of welcoming, colorful workspace
filled with all sorts of energy. I was told by Johnson
that “this is where startups, various tech companies
testing new ideas, and corporate innovation teams
discover one another.” I witnessed that next-generation connectivity is provided to companies testing
smart technologies in a live 5G wireless environment.
I was told that T-Mobile (formerly Sprint) came aboard
and first deployed in 2019, and there are embedded
experts on hand to work directly with researchers and
developers. That initial Sprint agreement triggered
even more physical infrastructure change.
Indeed, it was a fascinating experience to see
examples of the technology deployed within Curiosity Lab that ranged from robotics to 5G traffic signals,
smart pedestrian cross signals and video surveillance.
And, remember, the City of Peachtree Corners is
the only governmental agency that a company needs
to deal with when testing and developing products at
Curiosity Lab. No slow-moving government bureaucracy, and no other permissions are needed!
In fact, some foreign countries have discovered Curiosity Lab and have been sending their best and brightest to research and test new concepts and products.
It’s not an understatement to say that Peachtree
Corners, with its unique public-private partnerships
and Curiosity Lab as its magnet, is perhaps our nation’s premier “smart city.” It is fostering innovations,
implementing solutions, and building a better future
for its residents and the state of Georgia.
Phil Kent is the CEO and publisher of James.
M AY/ J UNE 2024
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