Home Hardware - Featured Technology Revolution With 5G And Internet Of Things (IoT)

Technology Revolution With 5G And Internet Of Things (IoT)

Nowadays, we hear frequently about 5G and IoT devices. Mobile devices and network infrastructures are getting upgraded to support 5G. Once it happens, we are not only able to enjoy high-speed internet but also will be able to take advantage of IoT (Internet of Things).

5G will make the next generation of IoT devices to communicate with each other with speed and reliability.

Let’s understand how these things are going to change our world in more details –

What is 5G?

5G is the 5th generation of wireless data transmission. Current mobile devices use frequency under 6GHz, and with more mobile devices coming up, this spectrum is getting crowded, which results in slower connection and more call drops. 5G is going to use new spectrum at frequencies between 30 GHz and 300 GHz. You will be able to download/upload 4K videos faster and will have strong signals in crowded areas like the train station, stadium, etc. 5G will be able to deliver many times the higher speed and lower latency than the 4G (LTE) network. 5G enabled mobile will put the world at your fingertips.

How does 5G work?

In 5G, data gets transmitted via shorter frequency waves so that they can carry more data. These are called Millimeter wave (mmWave), which will enable rapid data transmission. The millimeter-wave connection range is concise. Millimeter waves cannot travel through walls or obstacles, and they tend to absorb by plants and rains.

To solve this problem, we will need to have Small Cells Networks.  Current networks use big towers with massive power, which broadcast signals for long distances. In 5G for using millimeter waves, there will be a number of small low powered, short-range broadcast relay towers (base stations) that will be required.

5G architecture will use more of a software platform than the hardware. New tower antenna will use technologies like Massive MIMO (Multiple Inputs and Multiple Outputs), where each antenna will have more number of input and output points. MIMO technology will increase cellular network capacity multiple times.

Currently, each antenna transmits a signal in all directions with more points using MIMO; there will be more signal interference. To solve this problem, Beam Forming will be applied, which will allow the base station to send and receive a stream of data directly to the receiver mobile. The full-duplex transmission will help in better communication. Full-duplex technology will allow us to send and receive data on the same frequency.

Advancement in cloud-based technologies and virtualization will make 5G more flexible and robust. The new Wi-Fi 6 wireless standard (also known as 802.11ax) will have improved performance. Wi-Fi 6 radios will be placed in new high-density areas to provide better geographical coverage and lower cost. Underlying these Wi-Fi 6 radios is a software-based network with advanced automation. The 5G network will also simplify mobility by providing seamless open roaming between cellular and Wi-Fi networks.

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? How does it work?

Internet of things is internet-able devices that mean a network of devices that are connected via wireless internet. IoT devices have sensors and software to collect and transmit information using the internet. IoT devices are getting used for increasing efficiency and making things automated. IoT devices are also getting used for collecting data and then sending it to a cloud-based system, which will do analysis and generate various reports.

There are lots of IoT devices and projects going on, few of them are –

  • a smart fridge which can decide what item needs to be added to your grocery list based on your past consumption and notify,
  • the home security system sends you to live feed on your mobile whenever someone enters your home, devices for better utilization of your office space, intelligent transportation, smart cities, etc.

What are the things that are going to be possible with 5G?

With fast data transfer rates, low latency, and connectivity nearly anywhere, 5G enables you to socialize, watch movies, shop, create content, communicate, game, and share. Below are the areas will are going to benefit wit this –

  • Smooth Live Broadcast without steaming lag.
  • You are virtually attending live events.
  • Watch the same content online remotely together.
  • Multi-language video chat with live translation.
  • Enjoy High-quality VR (virtual reality) video.
  • Runtime Restaurant/Shop/Business Ratings.
  • High-speed pro video editing
  • Amazing Multiplayer latency-free gaming experience so that you do not miss a move.

What is going to happen when 5G and IoT come together?

We will witness the next generation of life-changing technology when 5G and IoT work together. 5G and IoT are going to connect everything to everything else. Multi-gigabit speed, ultra-low latency provided by 5G, and on-device AI-powered by IoT will give us extreme reliability, scalability, and capacity.

There will be unlimited possibilities, few of them are –

  • 5G and IoT will help cars to communicate with traffic lights, signals, and other vehicles on roads, which will make the drive more efficient and safer.
  • It will help factories not just make things but also make decision-based on previously collected data. It can also result in the invention of new technologies which we have not even thought of yet.
  • Smart homes with security
  • Health monitoring of patients.
  • Smart farms and smart irrigation systems.

Conclusion

We have looked at 5G and IOT briefly and how they can work together.  The day is not far when one device (mobile) will connect to all devices in your home, and you will be able to use it in more areas like never before. While we enjoy the benefit like efficiency and comfort that these things bring, we also need to deal with the security and privacy issue that these technologies have. I think this is a very early stage, and with time these technologies will get perfect and more secure. They might result in the creation of more powerful techniques. I am glad that the day is not very far when devices will work together to make human life more comfortable, safer, and better.