In July 2018, the University of Macau (UM) received the approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology for the establishment of the nation’s first state key laboratory in the Internet of Things for smart city. The laboratory aims to provide for the needs of the country with the expertise of Macao and develop itself into a world-class laboratory with local characteristics. By solving the key scientific and technical issues of the Internet of Things for smart city, the laboratory will put forward common theories, algorithms and systems that are of fundamental importance, and develop exemplary applications for smart city.

The global objective of the laboratory covers the following five aspects: building a world-class platform which is people-oriented and integrates industry, academia and research; rallying a corps of top-notch scholars with international prestige; nurturing a cohort of well-rounded individuals who are patriotic, community-conscious, and competent at theoretical research and innovation; producing a batch of significant outputs with international impact; and developing a high-end think tank that knows the city well to serve local economic development.

The laboratory has established its research offices on five fronts: intelligent sensing and network communication; urban big data and intelligent technology; smart energy; intelligent transportation; and urban safety and disaster prevention. The first two have the purposes of establishing a research and development platform for the smart city and carrying out impactful scientific and technological research. The other three aim at typical applications to contribute to the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy.