XO City

This page needs clean-up and editing for coherence, clarity, and completeness.

Please improve this article if you can.

환영합니다 | Portal | XO Korea | Deployment | Content | Hardware | Software | Mesh Network | Ethics | LOS | XO City | Accreditation | Consortium

Stackable Concept Car of MIT Medialab

The content below is just a game idea, rather than a real project, and no relation with the OLPC Foundation. I also hope the content below to be used as an educational idea about the overview of city design, construction, and management for children; just like SimCity. Freely add your opinion on this page and discussion page also.

Introduction

From the aspects of economics, environment, and well-being of mankind, being developed are quite a lot of revolutionary products such as stackable cars, XO mesh networks, and intelligent buildings etc. Also are revolutionary services and social infrastructures such as e-Government, e-Learning, e-Accreditation, and quite a few others.

But, how to deploy or adopt those revolutionary things into our lives? Can those stackable cars run onto our current highway systems? with giant trucks running side by side? Nonsense...

We need a new bottle to put those things in. That's the XO-like city we plan to construct.

See Game Scenario also.

City Design

XO City assumes to have 100,000+ population, producing most of goods and services it needs. Notice that all the architecture below also is progressed under Open Enterprise Architecture. Italic fonts means Object to be programmed in eToy.

Energy

The motto of XO city is XO like city from all aspects. As the energy efficiency of savings of XO is 10 times better than most of current laptops, XO City also should be the same; it should have 10 times better energy circulation mechanism. How? from the three aspects below;

• eliminating unnecessary energy consumption. Then, which are those unnecessary?
  1. if there is a more energy-efficient alternative to do the same work (process or service)
  2. if there is a more energy-efficient physical rearrangement of buildings and roads to achieve the same value production
  3. if there is a more energy-efficient social value production system

The three options above are incremental rather than exclusive.

For example, if, for the purpose of citizens' going to and coming back from offices or fields everyday, XO City adopt MIT's stackable concept cars using electricity instead of ordinary gas-driven autos, the total energy consumption of transportation system using cars of our XO City will be at least 3 times lower or three times energy efficient.

Then, there also is the second alternative left.

Why citizens should use cars to go to & come from offices everyday? Why students should go to school everyday? By restructuring or designing the arrangement of buildings, housings, offices, factories, and schools etc., we can secure additional energy savings...saying now we have reached 7~8 times better energy efficiency.

Now, the most important solution left; the restructuring of social system; exactly speaking, Social System for Value Production.

By substituting the total Intangible social infrastructure (such as governments, banks, schools, health cares, insurances, broadcasting, journals, publications, and even business processes) with web-based services in the form of XO Activities

The main focus of XO Korea is that; transforming current social infra into XO Activities.

Road & City Railway

The Road/Street Plan of XO City can't be separated from that of logistics and City Railway.

Firstly, City Railway will be the backbone of the transpiration system; for passengers, products, and others.

Secondly, Stackable Cars link Railway Station and buildings/sites. Road System is for this purpose.

Thirdly, Logistics System does another key role; transporting all non-human materials. Of course, human being also is a special material under transportation.

So, there are three principles related to the Road System.

1. Central road (maybe wide enough) with City Railway running on it. This City Railway becomes both human and product transportation backbone.
2. Branch road (maybe rather narrow ones) on which Stackable Cars and people are running or walking between Railway Station and buildings.
3. Underground logistics system to transport things between Railway Station and buildings.

Of course, all transporting devices/vehicles shall be equipped with XO Traffic Controller, which enables driver-less driving.

In summary, if comparing Road System with the XO architecture, then;

1. Stackable Car & City Railway Vehicle = XO Laptop
2. Road = Mesh Network
3. In-Building Traffic Control = School Server
4. Local Traffic Control = Local Server
5. Central Traffic Control = Country Server

Logistics

The Key of logistics system in XO City is that all are XO based. Logistics processes should contribute to the energy efficiency and efficient value production processes of XO City constituents. How?

• All buildings (and all rooms in a building) in the city are linked by Logistics Tunnel, small railway system in capsules.
• XO Container transports big or small products; there will be various types of containers from the aspect of size, functionality, and other features such as waterproof etc.
• The movement of all containers in XO City will be controlled by the Building Logistics Control, Local Logistics Control and Central Logistics Control
• All XO Containers are XO Variations; that means those containers also are XOs.

In summary, if comparing Logistics System with the XO architecture, then;

1. XO Containers = XO
2. Logistics Tunnel = Mesh Network
3. Building Logistics Control = School Server
4. Local Logistics Control = Local Server
5. Central Logistics Control = Country Server

Tunnel

File:Tunnel.jpg

It's road of products or cargoes, like all lines in mesh networks linking each node.

XO Container

File:Xo container.jpg

As there are various kinds of cargoes or products to be conveyed in XO Containers, there also should be various kinds of containers; sizes, water proof, theft proof, and heat proof etc.

All XO Containers are XOs themselves; they also are computers just without keyboards, displays and other components, but composing mesh networks (maybe via using marvell chips).

Due to the features of mesh networks, all of those container shall send information about their location, speed, destination, departing point, weight of cargoes etc. to Building Logistics Control, Local Logistics Control, and Central Logistics Control.

Building Logistics Control: Tier 3 Control

File:Ib-building control.jpg

It controls XO Containers in its coverage area by communicating with those Containers, and calculate the optimum route to destination of each container.

Local Logistics Control: Tier 2 Control

File:Local control.jpg

It controls XO Containers in its coverage area by communicating with those Containers and Building Logistics Control, and calculate the optimum route to destination of each Set of Containers.

The main function of Local Logistics Control is to group containers into several sets, allocate each to each Building Logistics Control

Central Logistics Control: Tier 2 Control

File:Central control.jpg

It controls XO Containers in country level by communicating with those Containers, Building Logistics Control, and Local Logistics Control and calculate the optimum route to destination of each Set of Containers.

The main function of Central Logistics Control is to group containers into several sets, allocate each to each Local Logistics Control

XO Building: housing

For the optimum usage of housing space, many parts of current housing components are publicly used. Again, current housing system of the USA is NOT sustainable;

1. if all Chinese and Indian build new houses similar to those in the current USA, the entire resource of the earth will disappear in only 100 years.
2. if the houses in the USA keep their emery consumption in building and managing them, the entire resource of the earth will disappear in only 1,000 years.

So, it's quite clear that we need some alternative housing system. Here is a suggestion. We assume an apartment housing system;

1. 20~30 story building,
2. 200~300 families in XO Building,
3. 4 members in a family,
4. 800~1,200 residents in XO Building

XO Building is similar to current hotel system, but but its key idea can equally be applied to other types of residential community or structure.

Living Space

Each family is given a living space; one or two bedrooms and living room. A few baths and kitchens are commonly used by residents in the same story. The basic equipment of each house is;

• Display Panel: such as 20" LCD panel attached onto wall .
• Beds
• Closets

The entire rooms in XO Building is linked one another via Building Logistics Control.

XO Food Center: Public Kitchen

A space in XO Building (maybe one of underground stories) is allocated to cookery function, which provides all meals to its 800~1,200 residents residents. Only one space for each XO building will be sufficient, and meals will be sent to each room via XO Logistics. See our design below.

Office

Maybe the first floor of XO Building can be used for office works. As all rooms in the building are internet connected offices as well, the first floor can be used meeting or conference hall. See our design below.

Floor Kitchen

One kitchen publicly usable by residents in the same floor; one kitchen per floor. Though most meals are served by XO Food Center delivered to each room via XO Logistics, residents can make their meals themselves also. See our design below.

Laundry

One of underground floors shall be used as public laundry facility. See our design below.

Clothes

The materials for clothes worn by XO Citizens also are different from ordinary ones; of course, more ecological ones. The content below is for a Korean XO City, presented as an example.

• Outer garments
• Under garments

XO Factory

XO Factory is standard manufacturing space of XO City. There will be hundreds of standard factory types. We are now setting a standard manufacturing place for each industrial field.

XO Plant

XO Plant is standard agricultural area of XO City. There will be tens of standard factory types. We are now setting a standard planting form for each agricultural field.

XO Market

XO Market is standard market of XO City. The entire buildings and rooms in XO City is linked with XO Market via Local Logistics Control. So, if any citizen buy anything at XO Market, the product shall be conveyed through XO Tunnel controlled by Local Logistics Control.

Water Supply

Water supply also controlled by Logistics Controls

For Drink

Spring water is conveyed to each room via anti-biotic pipes.

Water Not For Drink

Water for bathing and toilets is sent to XO Bathrooms, one for each floor.

Treating Wastes

How to recycle wastes? How to construct a city like XO? How to manage a city as green as XO? There must be an answer and below is our answer; establishing an Waste Treatment Facility in each XO County.

Food Waste

All food wastes are used as fertilizers. As most meals (even not all) are supplied by XO Food Center delivered to each room via XO Logistics, food wastes also are treated by the center.

See our design below.

Toilet Waste: excretions

All toilet wastes (excretions) also are used as fertilizers. See our design below.

Waste Water: sewage

Most of waste water is recycled. See our design below.

Preservation of Health: Medication

Preventive Medicine is the first interest of the medical system of XO City. There are three tiers of medical treatment.

XO First Aid Unit

XO Public Health Center is located in each XO Building (or similar residential areas) with one doctor and one nurse majoring in preventative medicine. Their role is to manage daily, weekly, and/or monthly data of the health state of residents in the building.

Below is the brief list of services provided by those secondary medical team in each XO County.

XO Secondary Medical Center

XO Secondary Medical Center is located in each XO County (or similar residential areas) with a few doctors and a few nurses majoring in each medical treatment. Their role is to treat light diseases of residents in the county.

Below is the brief list of services provided by those secondary medical team in each XO County.

XO Thirdly Medical Center

XO Thirdly Medical Center is located in each XO City with tens of doctors and tens of nurses majoring in each medical treatment. Their role is to treat serious diseases of residents in the county. All patients needing hospitalized are treated here

Below is the brief list of services provided by a thirdly medical team in each XO City.

See details about XO Thirdly Medical Center.

Medical Data Center

Medical Data Center is a part of XO Country Server operated under Open Enterprise Architecture, managed by the Department of Public Health & Welfare in the XO City Government.

See details about Medical Data Center

Education

As Constructivism is our educational motto, all our educational systems are established on it. The educational system of XO City is similar to the medical system rather than current schools, which are mainly based on school buildings, teachers, and disciplines.

The educational system of XO City is quite different from that of current one most nations deploy. Though the current educational system classifies learning coursed into pre-primary, primary, secondary, and higher education according to the age of children or learners, that of XO City is based on interests (not age) of them. And XO City prefers the word Learning to Education.

Notice also the fact that all educational progresses in XO City are done simultaneously rather than current step by step approaches. Under current educational system, a child finish his/her primary school course, then enters secondary school courses, and then college courses, and then....so on. But in XO City, a child learns his/her own interested Knowledge himself/herself, at the same time, visits the places where his/her father works to learn how a particular product or service is produced, and study how to improve the efficiency of the product or service his/her father makes everyday...so on.

But, before describing the features and systems of Learning in XO City, I want to clarify one Fact (not opinion). Due to the information related technologies and other high techs, the benefit and efficiency of current educations systems based on schools are more doubted than ever. If we can automate more than 70% of current governmental services, then what is the purpose of cultivating governmental employees through more than 10 years education in schools including colleges and graduate schools? If all vehicles can be driven without drivers in some city like XO City, what is the usage of driving lessons? If only less then 1% of learners use English in their daily lives or even occasionally, why we should teach all Korean students English more than 6 years at minimum?

So the approach of the educational system for XO City is quite clear; delete unnecessary or inefficient educational courses.

XO First Learning

The first learning activities progressed by citizens in XO City (notice, not Child but Citizen, because our educational system is not based on Age, but Interest) are done via XO laptops, large or small one. As the entire city is connected to the Web, anyone can learn anyplace, alone or together, and as XO laptop is collaboration oriented, the learning activities of those citizens (children or adult) also are collaboration oriented.

Anyone can learn his/her interested Knowledge in his/her own room alone or at fields with friends or colleagues. Those learning activates are solely interest-driven, rather than purpose-driven. See our authentic learning activities carried on the first learning stage

XO Second Learning

XO Second Learning is not interest driven, but purpose-driven. They learn with clear purposes or goals; learn the way to produce value. Most of those second learning activities are done at offices, factories, plants, and other working places.

The focus of XO Second Learning is to learn the optimum method of producing a particular value; how to make the exact wheels currently used by XO Car. See our full learning object for the second learning.

XO Third Learning

XO Third Learning is both interest and purpose driven, but not related to any particular technique used in producing a particular product or service. It's a learning activity to find unknown method or theory; how to find a method to make more efficient wheels than currently used by XO Car. It's much like current research and development activities. See our full learning object for the second learning.