New York City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser has announced a new series of pilot projects under the city’s Smart City Testbed Programme to monitor pedestrian traffic and infrastructure.

The upcoming trials include the deployment of sensors to count pedestrian volumes and “dwell times” at six locations, including public plazas and holiday markets.

A second pilot will use an augmented reality platform to show 3D renderings of a planned recreation centre in Queens to local residents via QR codes.

The Testbed Programme, managed by the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), allows the city to test private-sector technology for six to nine months before deciding on wider adoption. Previous pilots this year have used LiDAR to analyse industrial warehouse traffic and computer vision to identify potholes in protected bike lanes.

Fraser said the programme aims to streamline how the city evaluates emerging technologies. Data from a recent eight-month analysis of street activity has already led the Department of Transportation to consider expanding its sensor network across the five boroughs.