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JA8. Internet of Things (IoT)

Statement

We have reviewed revolutionary technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoTs), Internet of Everything (IoE), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), and their application in cutting-edge areas.

  • Choose and explain which technology among IoT, IoE, VR, and AR can be impacted by 5G wireless technology.
  • How 5G can drive a revolution in a specific application scenario (such as smart homes, smart cities, smart power grids, autonomous vehicles/robots, cutting-edge medical care, classrooms of the future, etc.) for the chosen technology.

Answer

IoT (Internet of Things) is one of the technologies that can be greatly impacted by wireless 5G; IoT is not new, it has been around for a while, but it has limitations that 5G promises to solve. This text will first define IoT, then explain the impact of 5G on IoT, and finally, bring an example of smart cities that can benefit from the combination of IoT and 5G.

IoT is a network of interconnected devices that communicate with each other and with the internet. This network is dynamic and these devices can be anything from sensors, wearables, home appliances, vehicles, and more. According to (Oracle, 2022), there will be 22 billion IoT devices by 2025; all of these devices are constantly collecting data and transmitting it through the internet to the cloud for processing and analysis. This data can be used to make decisions, automate processes, and improve efficiency in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, automotive, transportation, logistics, retail, and more (Oracle, 2022).

5G impacts IoT in several ways:

  • 5G promises faster and more reliable connections, with lower latency and higher bandwidth. This means that IoT devices can communicate faster and more efficiently, with less delay and more data being transmitted at once. This is crucial for real-time applications like autonomous vehicles, drones, and robots (McCrocklin, 2023).
  • 5G promises better usage of RF spectrum, with more efficient use of the available frequencies. This was an issue previously as if you put too many IoT devices in a small area, they start interfering with each other. 5G’s better spectrum usage allows for more dense deployments of IoT devices while still each device gets the bandwidth it needs without interference (McCrocklin, 2023).
  • 5G promises better security, as these devices are usually stationary, connected, and left unattended for long periods. This combination makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. 5G promises better encryption, authentication, and security protocols to protect these devices and the data they collect and transmit (McCrocklin, 2023).

Let’s take smart cities and self-driving cars as an example. To make this possible, every car on the road needs to be aware and communicate with every other car, and make sure they all have the most recent real-time data to drive safely; this means that these cars need to be able to send/receive a tremendous amount of data in real-time with the highest reliability and lowest latency possible as any delay or downtime can put lives in danger. This also allows for smart traffic management to be possible, that is, every car takes the best route to avoid traffic jams and accidents; where 5G provides the necessary bandwidth, speed, and reliability to make this possible (Mihret & Haile, 2021).

To conclude, IoT is a technology that can be greatly impacted by 5G wireless technology. The combination of IoT and 5G can improve the efficiency, reliability, and security of IoT devices and networks. Smart cities and self-driving cars are examples of applications that can benefit from the combination of IoT and 5G, as they require fast, reliable, and secure connections to operate effectively.

References