5G in 5: Top Tech This Week — March 6, 2020

Here’s this week’s rundown of the top 5 stories of 5G news about emerging and innovative technologies. To follow the series, check back here every week and look out for #5Gin5 posts from @Facesof5G.

  1. Sherwood Forest in 5G – Robin Hood’s famed Sherwood Forest is set to be a 5G forest in March 2021. The powerful next generation network will enable 3D and 4D virtual reality experiences, semi-autonomous vehicles, drones, and robots. Councilor Kay Cutts MBE says, “it will bring the stories associated with Robin Hood and our ancient woodland to life in a new way”. Read more here.
  2. Revolutionizing Farming to Meet Food Needs – Advancements in farming will be critical to addressing global food needs given population growth. The UN estimates that the world will need 70% more food in 2050 compared to what was needed in 2009. While the farming industry has been slow to adopt new innovations, Futuresource analyst Simon Forrest says “Technology must be applied to the problem… Connectivity is essential, and therefore 5G in agriculture is inevitable.” Read more here.
  3. 5G Powered Innovation Hub – Emory’s Healthcare Innovation Hub will be powered by Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service, creating the nation’s first 5G health care innovation lab. Scott Boden, MD, Vice President for Business Innovation at Emory Healthcare said, “Across every facet of health care, from care innovation to reimbursement model transformation to decentralization of care, speed to data is critical to the digital evolution of health.” Read more here.  
  4. 5G Smart Factory – Ericsson has started producing 5G equipment at its factory in North Texas. But it’s not just producing 5G equipment, it’s also using 5G in the factory to create efficiencies within the factory. Read more here.
  5. 5G Beyond Smartphones – “5G’s larger purpose is to be the underlying digital fabric connecting all elements of our modern world. In particular, look for 5G to fundamentally change the way our manufacturing, automotive, and health care sectors operate,” explains Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon in a piece for Fortune. Read more here.