Work on 5G tech at GE Research may benefit community as well

NISKAYUNA - There's a lot of talk these days about 5G, the super-fast next-generation wireless network that the cellular industry has been promoting as a game changer for its customers for years.

Cellular operators have adopted the new technology - which uses more bandwidth than previous networks, enables faster speeds, and allows larger amounts of data to be transferred - as quickly as possible, and are mostly targeting larger cities across the country first.

When GE Research in Niskayuna, the corporate research arm of General Electric Co., recently revealed plans to convert its campus into a test site for 5G, it was a big deal.

Not just for GE, but also for its neighbors, "to enable more residents and visitors of Niskayuna to have high-speed wireless access," said the two companies.

The 5G test stand from GE Research will also bring the so-called "Band 14" radio spectrum to Niskayuna, which the federal government uses for the so-called FirstNet, a radio network specially created by Congress in 2012 for first aiders. The network was built by AT&T.

The main reason AT&T and GE partnered with GE on the 5G testbed is to demonstrate how well 5G networks can enhance GE's latest technologies, especially healthcare.

There are two types of 5G that AT&T and other companies are adopting. The garden variety type is the so-called "Sub-6" 5G which is currently standard but is slower than the so called mmWave 5G which is much faster but requires more equipment to transport it over longer distances. AT&T calls this its 5G + network.

This faster 5G that all cell phone companies are working on means having a video conference with your doctor on your phone in HD and not flickering as it does today. And you can download 4K movies in seconds while playing online video games wherever you are.

While consumers will get many benefits from Ultra 5G, the biggest impact could be the commercial sector, which will be able to invent entirely new cellular technologies that will affect the lives of people around the world.

GE Research scientists say the 5G test bed they are using from AT&T (they are also working with Verizon on a 5G test bed) helps them envision a technology that can do more with the faster network.

For example, it doesn't matter where a patient is so that doctors can access their vital signs or medical records - it makes treatment faster and more robust instead of relying on slow computers in the office.

"The power of reliable, resilient Sub-6 and 5G + networks will transform healthcare by bringing care more directly to the patient," said Eric Tucker, GE's senior director of technical products. “We are already seeing doctors becoming more connected to their patients through telemedicine or teleconsultation. Imagine what is possible when millions of medical devices and diagnostic tools can be reliably connected to help doctors deliver faster, more effective patient care. "

Tucker says that under today's model, a patient with a condition calls the doctor - but the doctor doesn't really know what's wrong with the patient until he comes to the office. The faster 5G will enable wearable devices connected to the doctor's network that are inconvenient with standard wireless networks.

"With the development of wearable sensors and other medical monitoring devices that GE and others are innovating, a future scenario could well be the doctor calling the patient first to tell them something is wrong," Tucker said. “Today this is only possible to a very limited extent. The performance of 5G networks could make it ubiquitous. "

continue reading https://dailytechnonewsllc.com/work-on-5g-tech-at-ge-research-may-benefit-community-as-well/?feed_id=3066&_unique_id=61b6cee83b48d