scale and at the same time adapt to changes in problems at a slower scale. This is a desired property in logistics and many other areas. 3.3 Telecommunications A distinction can be made between synchronous and asynchronous communicaiton [38, 54]. IT has reduced delays of information transmission, allowing for technologies with faster response rates. Moreover, IT has made it possible to shift from from broadcasted information to information on demand. Availability of information is a requirement for living urban technology, since relevant information is required in order to adapt, learn, and evolve. This was already illustrated in Section 3.1.3. Telecommunications have an essential role towards the use of living technologies in urban spaces. Not only for information transmission among citizens, but also among devices and systems [111]. For this purpose, several approaches have been proposed to build adaptive, flexible and robust telecommunication networks [41, 42]. These networks are becoming so complex and operate at such speeds, that their technology can only function efficiently exhibiting the properties of living systems. Telecommunication systems are relevant not only for transmission of information, but enable other uses of living technology in urban spaces, such as governance [105]. 3.4 Governance Bureaucracies are often seen as rigid, slow, and inefficient. Living technology can enable the adaptive transmission of relevant information to govern cities [54]. Any adaptive system requires sensors to be able to detect when changes are required. An obstacle in governance is that sensors are rather poor to allow governments to make informed decisions. Simply there is no infrastructure to detect what are the requirements of citizens. For example, India is connecting 250,000 local governments (Panchayats) to deliver and obtain information to and from citizens [101]. 13