Understanding the Smart Technology Infrastructural Divide: A Case Study in Rural Illinois

Keywords: Smart Society, Rural, ICT, Illinois, infrastructure
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 66

Abstract

The development of computer and information technologies (ICTs) to support public and private services in many cities is nearly absent in rural communities. This divide may further widen as so-called “smart” technologies continue to mature. Developing smart rural communities requires advanced and networked technological infrastructure, digital applications, and social supporting infrastructure. Existing gaps in information and communication technologies and social infrastructures, without intervention, theoretically evolve into a new form of social inequality — a smart divide. However, it is unclear what gaps exist in technological and social infrastructures in rural areas, and what social infrastructure may be critical to support smart rural development. This research used interviews and data analyses to characterize the gaps in technological and social infrastructures that support the uses of telehealth and online education by rural residents. Two rural towns, Carbondale and Cairo, in Southern Illinois were selected as study areas. The outcomes are expected to facilitate innovative strategies to bridge the smart divide and theoretically inform the next-generation design of rural smart and connected communities.