Latency is the time it takes some form of data to
make a full circuit back to the originating point. Press
a button on a phone and there is a response. In today’s
4G systems, latency is around 15 to 20 milliseconds (ms).
The goal of 5G is to drive latency down to 5 ms. This is
critical because 5 ms or less latency provides an experience
that feels innately real to the human body in virtual
reality or simulations.
Apple has coined the term “taptic” as an amalgamation
of the words tap and haptic feedback to describe
the components in its devices that provide a physical
response to a user. It will only feel more real and natural
with 5G, and these tactile systems will be found in a variety
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of devices.
Medical training programs utilizing virtual reality
systems with taptic interfaces can be used by providers
to practice medical techniques and role playing in a way
that feels very real without any possible negative outcomes.
Imagine a learning environment with a surgeon
using a virtual reality mock-up to practice invasive surgical
cutting techniques; feedback is real and instantaneous,
but without needing cadavers or live animals for practice.
Virtual reality is also being developed for patient care.
Patients might don a headset with visual displays that
guide them through some form of therapy; embedded
sensors in the headset measure heart
rate, breathing, temperature, and
other vitals while providing instantaneous
feedback and direction.
5G means much greater capabilities
for healthcare devices. Other
technologies that hold great promise
for enabling medical systems include
Citizens Broadband Radio System
(CBRS). This system is an emerging
wireless technology that will deliver
better, faster wireless connectivity.
The Citizens Broadband Radio System,
based on TD-LTE technology,
will utilize a very large amount of
spectrum (150 MHz in the 3.5 GHz
space) and will be the first technology
of its kind that allows dynamic
spectrum sharing.
This spectrum has been used primarily for naval
radar, but it is only in use about 3 percent of the time.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wisely
made plans to free up this spectrum for commercial use,
provided there is a way to still allow prioritization. The
spectrum access system (SAS) does just that. It manages
the spectrum and the three classes of users: Incumbents
(mainly naval radar), Priority Access (for organizations
acting as CBRS service providers, up to 70 MHz of the
150 MHz) and General Authorized Access. The CBRS trials
are already underway, and handset manufacturers will
soon be deploying CBRS-ready handsets.
Long-term evolution (LTE) is the wireless standard
based on 3GGP. Unlike Wi-Fi, LTE is inherently secure
due to encryption. This fact, coupled with the high-speed
capabilities of CBRS and other LTE (cellular) 5G networks,
has excited many in the IT community. The thinking
goes: If I can get high (Wi-Fi like) speed on my handheld
device, along with the best possible security, why would
I not put all my devices on such a network?
A tricorder was an object of science fiction lore that
promised the ultimate in patient care and mobility for
Trekkies; it was a handheld device that could perform
a variety of medical diagnostics by sensing, computing
and recording. That vision may soon become a reality.
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