The world's first 'Smart Street' officially opened on Thursday 29th June, inviting visitors to relax and enjoy an innovative traffic-free shopping and dining experience in an environment that hints at the what the future of shopping may look like. 

Pavagen, the UK company and global leader in harvesting energy and data from footfall, has installed a 10-square metre array which will initially power lights and bird sounds, and also provide an energy data feed, as explained in their press release. They add that the energy harvesting walkway will also incorporate Bluetooth Low-Energy transmitters which will enable it to interact with branded apps (such as rewarding users with discounts, vouchers and education resources for their steps on the Pavegen system).

Furthermore, other companies are joining the project, including Airlabs' ClearAir bench, removing nitrogen dioxide to create a zone of clean air, and a coatings company Airlite, contributing with an in-house created paint which purifies the air from NOx gasses and bacteria.

Laurence Kemball-Cook, 31, CEO and founder of Pavegen says: "With installations in Washington DC and at vital transport hubs including Heathrow, being able to demonstrate how our technology can bring to life the retail shopping experience is a vital step for us. As retailers compete with online, technologies like ours make being in the busy high street more exciting and rewarding for people and brands alike."