The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has ushered in the new era of technological advancement, significantly transforming various sectors of business and industry. The actuation industry is an important sector for converting energy into mechanical motion, and it is currently undergoing an evolutionary change. Actuators are significant elements that connect digital systems to physical infrastructure. Actuators allow for automation, control, and optimization of operations in smart cities. Conventional actuators are characterized by imperfections in terms of performance, agility, and real-time monitoring. Accordingly, this article presents an innovative actuator design that outperforms existing actuators in terms of performance, reliability, and scalability. We designed the novel actuator to incorporate multiple sensors and devices, including force, vibration, temperature, and position sensors. This design is intelligent and performs very well in real-time collection, processing, and analysis of data. It has the ability to integrate with a cloud-based platform. Such connections make it possible for remote monitoring, management, and human-centric security in smart cities through object detection. The proposed design optimizes the performance of actuator and makes adjustments where necessary. The proposed actuator design employs idealized design principles, control systems, and high-strength materials. It helps achieve a longer life cycle and a high level of robustness in demanding industrial conditions. Smart control algorithms incorporate dynamic force control, adaptive speed regulation, and precision of positioning. They also find applications in diverse solutions, such as regulating valves and robotics. This study also highlights the vital role of renewable energy sources, smart grids, and energy efficiency in the creation of a sustainable and optimized energy ecosystem for smart cities. IoT-based actuators with intelligent designs improve the performance, efficiency, and reliability of actuation in smart cities with real-time monitoring. It is a step forward in the evolution of modern industrial and commercial applications in urban developments.