It can easily be stated that 5G will have opportunities for every industry, but what are the possible application areas for 5G cameras?
Imaging technology is evolving fast: cameras are getting better, faster and smaller. The first examples of 5G connected cameras were seen in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Korea, where one hundred cameras placed around the Arena captured 360-degree picture transmitting in real time. In addition to this, 5G-connected cameras were set up along the cross-country course and the viewers could see the contestants on the slopes through omni-view and multi-angle broadcasting technology, triggered by GPS sensors. [1]
Here is a short introduction to 5G and what it could mean for the imaging world in security, industry and healthcare.
What is 5G?
5G, short for 5th Generation, is a new mobile internet connectivity, promising more speed and greater capacity and more reliable connections. Depending on the operator, 5G will offer speeds between 1Gbps to 10Gbps (gigabits per second) and even more in the future.
To compare, today the average download speeds are around 22Mbps.
The first commercial 5G networks are expected to debut in 2020. Though we cannot be sure what 5G will mean exactly, many say that it will accelerate the coming of new wireless technologies, like self-driving cars and the internet of things. [2]
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5G will be the next trend in security applications. In the future, the 5G wireless security cameras will send streaming video and/or audio via fast 5G connections. 5G will mean less interference and will be, therefore, much more reliable.
Cameras made for security purposes need to be accurate. Getting high-resolution footage will not be an issue with a 5G camera. With very low latency, you can have a live view of the area you are monitoring and download the data from your camera to, for example, the cloud in seconds. While shooting 4K videos is already possible now, streaming them live is tricky with the current speeds. 5G will make it possible to do 4K video streaming and downloads for everyone!
In addition to this, 5G will promise more efficiency in the power consumption -department as well. Therefore, you may not need a power connection for your security cameras and you can place them anywhere you want. [3]
Industrial
The fourth industrial revolution, industry 4.0, is already happening and will certainly kick into a new gear when 5G emerges.
5G can connect industrial cameras that are used for, e.g. optical quality checks, 360-degree surveillance cameras and so much more. When the information is given in real time, efficiency is increased and any faults or problems are detected beforehand. [4]
There has been a lot of discussion over what 5G can offer for the healthcare industry. At MWC 2019 in Barcelona, we saw a glimpse of what is to be, in the first 5G telemonitored live surgery.
With the increased latency periods and far-better image quality, performing such high-stakes tasks as surgeries can be done safely. Remote guiding has of course been done before, but with unreliable network connections, delays and bad images, they can pose a risk as the information is insufficient.
5G will also make it possible to use new technologies as camera-guided robotic arms, where doctors from another part of the world even, can not only guide the surgery but participate in it as well. Read more here.
Waiting for 5G
It can be said that 5G will change how we see the world. It will transform the possibilities of digitalization and connect us all more efficiently.
Accurate, fast and connected 5G cameras will have many application areas varying from consumer use to smart factories and industry 4.0. The possibilities seem to be endless!
Now all we have to do, is wait.
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