Natural disasters can happen anywhere. After a disaster, the government and volunteers go to great lengths to search for survivors. In the event of a communication network failure, locating a person is like looking for a needle in a haystack, which reduces search and rescue into extremely inefficient manual labor.

Consider this scenario: When a disaster strikes, officials launch small but powerful drones of cellular mobile devices to get the network working again. At the same time, another wave of airborne drones took their place at the scene, sending out high-definition video to speed up rescue operations and save lives.

Key takeaways:

· Faster data transfer speeds and a massive increase in the number of simultaneous connections the network can support means:

5G will bring new capabilities to cross-industry and consumer applications.

5G's intervention will play its biggest role in machine-to-machine communication, which is required to realize the potential of the Internet of Things.

The above scenario is just one example of the next-generation wireless communication network, the fifth generation or 5G cellular network, when it becomes operational. In the future, many more possibilities will be realized: mobile 3D video and augmented reality with ultra-high-definition resolution; infrastructure with embedded sensors will help cities meet the needs of residents; robotic cars and drones will constantly communicate with each other, to improve performance and efficiency; robotic-assisted surgery and advanced telemedicine will become the norm in patient care.

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Pietro Scalia, General Manager of TI

"Connected devices are the cornerstone of 5G," said Pietro Scalia, general manager of TI, who studies 5G and recently wrote a report on it. 1 "In the coming digital world where humans will still dominate, the arrival of 5G means better and faster communication between us and machines. It will change the way we interact with objects and with each other.

5G Provides Better Communication for Humans and Machines

This new cellular technology standard is an order of magnitude improvement over the capabilities of current 4G.

In early tests of 5G equipment, engineers found that data transfer rates had reached 3 gigabits per second, which is a significant increase from the average rate of 18.5 megabits per second on 4G networks in the United States. 2 And future upgrades will reach 10 gigabits per second. Network latency (the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another) will also be reduced to 1 millisecond from the minimum 60 milliseconds achievable with 4G networks. 3 Density (the number of connections a network can support in a given area) will increase dramatically to about 1 million devices per square kilometer.

Based on the fact that both machines and humans are currently using cellular networks, the upgrades brought about by 5G are critical to achieving the highest goals of the digital world. Sensors and other devices allow devices ranging from generators to household smoke detectors to detect, report and react to changes in environmental and operating conditions. This allows the Internet of Things to develop rapidly.

"Everything in our world is becoming robotic," Pietro said. "Part of that evolution requires our robots to be able to communicate better and faster, and 5G makes that possible."

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Pietro says he's excited to see what developers have achieved with these new features, and the potential for the future can only be seen in the following areas:

1. 5G will help self-driving cars deliver on the promise

Robust, reliable and flexible communication links will enable vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-remote computer communications. This will allow vehicles to plan their routes more efficiently, with shared power and fuel efficiency among fleets. Meanwhile, delivery robots will be guided by traffic control systems, reducing delivery times and fuel usage.

2. 5G will make cities smarter with multiple simultaneous network connections

Cities are improving communications, management systems and infrastructure to meet residents' needs. 5G networked cities will bring technologically enhanced services to improve the lives of millions of people. Street lights will monitor and report to the driver where to find empty parking spaces. Vehicles will be linked to traffic management systems to reduce congestion. Machine and power producers will coordinate power requirements so that equipment capacity needs are fully met.

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3. The low latency and improved reliability of 5G will fundamentally change the healthcare environment

With powerful virtual reality models, medical students can use virtual patients for training. High-speed wireless connectivity will allow surgeons to see real-time 3D video of a patient's organs, while artificial intelligence will update precise scalpel guidance every millisecond. Experts will also gather around the patient through virtual images to brainstorm.

“The best thing about 5G is the ability to get on-demand services anywhere,” Pietro said. “Whether it’s a robotic car that takes me around and finds a parking spot on my own, or a connected healthcare system that focuses on patients, these dreams are Implementations require more and better data to communicate faster and better.”

When will 5G arrive? it's started

Telcos have already started rolling out 5G equipment in 2018. But Pietro said consumers haven't noticed any improvements. Improvements will also start to become apparent by the end of 2019, as Release 15 of the 3GPP standard is completed, and the new Release 16 enters its initial stages. By 2020-2021, developers will provide consumers and businesses with applications developed using the new technologies.

"When applications truly realize the potential that the 5G version should have, the shape of the communications industry will change dramatically," Pietro said.

Texas Instruments is working on the groundwork for the upcoming 5G network. Customers are embedding TI's integrated analog RF transceivers into 5G base stations, which can connect higher-bandwidth devices. At the same time, they are installing TI's clock components to synchronize these base stations according to the new specification. Proprietary power products are also helping manage the challenging 5G system energy demands.

“5G is a disruptive technology,” Pietro said. “It will usher in a new era by communicating intelligently with everything around us. As this future gets more attention, we can confidently predict that 5G will Help humanity achieve more."