Tag: Smart Factories

5G is the fifth generation of cellular networks. While 4G may have given a major boost to the mobile internet capabilities of 3G, 5G is expected to transform the way we communicate and lead our lives. That’s because it has significantly fasters speeds, very low latency, and much higher data capacity. All these are essential elements for industries to function faster and better in an increasingly data-driven world.

Visit visioneclick.com or any internet connection provider site to get 5G internet offers, and some countries are on the brink of rolling it out. It is no longer a buzzword but in fact, a reality that is set to change our lives for the better. Here is how.

1. Smart Cities

Source: elektrovat.net

Smart-city projects rely on the network’s ability to transfer huge amounts of data between devices in little or no time. Since 5G has proven to deliver this level of performance, authorities across numerous cities are making huge investments to develop 5 G-enabled smart cities with automated processes and services.

The National League of Cities claims that two-third of municipalities in the US have made investments in smart city technology. San Diego has installed smart lighting systems which automatically dim when there is no one around. This can reduce electricity costs up to $2 million a year. Similarly, Pittsburgh is replacing over 35,000 streetlights with LEDs containing sensors to monitor the quality of air. In San Francisco, gunshot-detecting microphones were installed in neighborhoods with a high crime rate. This led to a 35% decrease in gun-shot firing incidents.

These are a few of the instances of how upgrading to 5G can help cities manage situations better alongside saving costs.

2. Driverless Cars

Human error is the cause of over 90% of traffic accidents. If you remove humans from behind the wheel, you can save up to 1.25 million lives a year. Besides, passenger safety, driverless cars also provide people a chance to relax or utilize their time for other tasks.

But for these vehicles to become autonomous, they need to be able to follow maps accurately, detect obstacles, talk to the sensors in traffic lights as well as communicate with other cars effectively. All this requires instant responses which are only possible through 5G networks (as it can support millisecond-level latencies).

Once driverless cars become mainstream, fewer people would own cars and ride-sharing would become more prevalent. According to the prediction of the Boston Consulting Group, autonomous vehicles will reduce the number of cars on city streets by up to 60%.

3. Telemedicine

Source: qualcomm.com

5G will also make breakthroughs in the field of telemedicine. It would make your visits to the doctor very rare. This is because the low latency and HD quality network would make virtual doctor visits possible. Wearable medical devices would be able to capture your vitals and transmit them to the doctors, allowing them to detect warning signs of strokes, heart attacks, or other dangerous events.

According to Dr. David Teece, a professor at US Berkeley, the wireless network technology would also make telesurgery possible. This means that surgeons at the hospital would be able to control medical equipment that’s hundreds of miles away. An example in this regard is that of a Chinese surgeon who removed a part of a pig’s liver using a 5G connection while he was around 30 miles away from the subject. Such examples may be a rarity today but you’ll certainly see more of them in the future.

4. Virtual Shopping Experience

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IulJN9zFEWs

A combination of 5G network and edge computing will change the way customers shop. When data is processed at locations near where it is produced, the result is better performance and connectivity. The ultra-low latency that 5G offers would enable retailers to use technologies like augmented reality to integrate the digital and physical world. This would allow customers to try/test products virtually without having to visit the store physically.

5. Live Event Experience

Source: marcogiberti.com

Whether it’s football games or music concerts, 5G technology will significantly enhance the live event experience for the fans. Owing to its low latency, it allows the use of immersive technologies like VR, AR, and 36-degree video to boost engagement on the part of the viewers.

When thousands of smartphone users are packed in one site, you need a network capacity that is equivalent to that of a large city. This is where 5G network can help. At sports and music venues, the boosted data capacities and speeds of 5G allow fans to get the best value out of their stadium apps. An example in this regard is the video quality and speed of the live-streamed replays.

6. Smart Factories

Source: einfochips.com

Smart factories today are about automating processing through smart devices. But with 5G, smart factories would no longer be just about automating the manufacturing, design, and distribution process. It would influence much more aspects. For example, a customer’s feedback would be able to reach the designer in real-time. Also, if the demand for a certain product rises in an area, shipments would be rerouted right away. You could even update inventories in real-time.

The best part of 5G enabled smart factories is that the Al devices such as robots would be able to make quick decisions and immediate action for optimal productivity.

7. Leveled-up Gaming

Source: lvlgaming.com

The strength of 5G network connection would take online gaming to a whole new level, one that 4G could never reach. If the game Fortnite allows 100 players to compete in the same virtual space at a time, with 5G this number could go up to 1000. And this would not require the gamers to download any files or apps on their devices.

The gaming market will flourish as 5G allows gamers to immerse into the AR and VR experiences. Take the example of Nintendo’s Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. The mixed-reality game can transform living rooms around the world into realistic rainbow roads. And since 5G ensures zero lag time, gamers can enjoy these experiences with family and friends across the world. This would also play a major role in bringing the global gaming community closer.

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