Four fun things about 5G
This week Waterstons' Innovation team asks "what is 5g?" and "how do you make $100 million?" - The Dots #3
This week in The Dots, Dani talks about 5G and the fun use cases for it she has found. We also learned this week about an AI bot that is meant to annoy spam callers and wonder how 4-week-old start-ups can be worth $100 million.
We imagine innovation as connecting the dots; putting together a jigsaw. Our puzzle pieces are the pieces of interesting information we absorb in the world, our clients and their businesses and our partners and their products. Innovation happens when we connect these pieces in new and interesting ways, leading us to surprises and presenting new solutions to an often impossible problem. This newsletter is about these dots we find and connect.
Four cool things about 5G
The fifth generation of cellular broadband technology, known as 5G, represents significant advancements over previous generations like 4G. With its higher data speeds and ultra-low latency, 5G ensures swift transmission of data, vital for real-time applications. Its superior reliability and massive network capacity outshine the capabilities of 4G, accommodating a larger number of devices simultaneously and guaranteeing a more consistent user experience. 5G cell sites are also significantly more energy-efficient, consuming only 15% of the energy compared to 4G sites transmitting the same data. Accelerating the global transition to 5G could potentially save 0.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2030.
5G leaves 4G in the dust, revolutionising the tech industry and paving the way for transformative advancements. Four of these are:
The connectivity of 5G enables the interaction of thousands of IoT sensors simultaneously, playing a crucial role in the development of smart cities and expansive IoT ecosystems. Buildings equipped with sensors can optimize lighting, air quality and heating, resulting in energy and cost savings, and creating a more pleasant healthier environment for occupants. For instance, Arizona State University's football stadium underwent a $300 million renovation incorporating sensors and cameras to improve operational efficiency and provide data on water usage, sales, and noise levels.
In Mecklenburg-West Pomerania Germany, a project has been initiated to provide 5G connectivity along train tracks, spanning approximately ten kilometres. Ten innovative towers will be constructed at one-kilometre intervals, ensuring uninterrupted coverage along the line. The project will also test 5G at 3.6 GHz frequencies, paving the way for advanced railway communication and connectivity.
The agricultural sector is leveraging 5G and IoT technologies to transform traditional practices. Connected sensors enable real-time data collection on fertilisation, livestock well-being, and moisture needs. The emergence of smart farms is exemplified by innovations like the MooCall calving sensor attached to a cow's tail, which alerts farmers when a cow is about to give birth, enabling them to provide timely assistance.
In the realm of healthcare, 5G is supporting breakthroughs in critical situations. At the University Hospital of Düsseldorf in Germany, Vodafone's 5G network has facilitated a drone delivery system which swiftly transports medical supplies, such as medication for premature babies, saving precious time. In addition, ambulances equipped with highly-connected tech and tools previously only available in hospitals are revolutionising time-dependent stroke treatment, potentially saving lives. Lastly, remote surgeries are pushing boundaries, as demonstrated when a gallbladder removal surgery was successfully performed on a patient in China, orchestrated from over 4,500km away.
You Might Have Missed It…
Mistral - there is a ludicrous amount of money in AI right now. A case in point is Mistral, a 4-week-old AI start-up with no product or plan. It managed to raise over $100 million. What? How? Well, recently their pitch documents leaked so you can see for yourself!
AI Telemarketing - AI has found its true use case: messing with telemarketers. This subscription gets AI bots to intercept calls for you and talk nonsense to them. To quote Jolly Roger, one of the bots:
"Oh jeez, hang on, there's a bee on me, hang on. There's a bee on my arm. OK, you know what? You keep talking, I'm not gonna talk, though. You keep talking, say that part again, and I'm just gonna stay quiet because of the bee."
The Next Start-Up Unicorn
A magic 8 ball, powered by an LLM to make sure its answers are spookily accurate
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