Advancing Urban Development: Applications of Hyperspectral Imaging in Smart City Innovations and Sustainable Solutions

Smart cities are urban areas that use advanced technologies to make urban living better through efficient resource management, sustainable development, and improved quality of life. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a noninvasive and nondestructive imaging technique that is revolutionizing smart cities by offering improved real-time monitoring and analysis capabilities across multiple urban sectors. In contrast with conventional imaging technologies, HSI is capable of capturing data across a wider range of wavelengths, obtaining more detailed spectral information, and in turn, higher detection and classification accuracies. This review explores the diverse applications of HSI in smart cities, including air and water quality monitoring, effective waste management, urban planning, transportation, and energy management. This study also examines advancements in HSI sensor technologies, data-processing techniques, integration with Internet of things, and emerging trends, such as combining artificial intelligence and machine learning with HSI for various smart city applications, providing smart cities with real-time, data-driven insights that enhance public health and infrastructure. Although HSI may generate complex data and tends to cost much, its potential to transform cities into smarter and more sustainable environments is vast, as discussed in this review.