5G putting the ‘smart’ in today’s smart homes
intensive it is for the IVAs’ software to digitally process their users’ voice data, largely due to the complexity of both human speech patterns and natural language itself. Currently, smart speaker manufacturers attempt to counteract this challenge by focusing on moving their products’ voice processing capabilities from the Cloud to the Edge, but the speed of such a system is still flawed owing to most users’ Wi-Fi limitations. When compared to both 4G and Wi-Fi 5, the low latency of 5G has the potential to bring a marked increase in the speed of all manner of voice- controlled systems – not just those in stationary smart speakers, but those in on-the-go interfaces such as the iPhone-based version of Siri.
to patients in the comfort of their homes. The collective term for devices that enable users to experience a remote or virtual location as if they are physically present in that location is ‘telepresence’, which will be vital to the accuracy and safety of remote healthcare diagnoses and treatments. Aided by a rise in wearable sensors, 5G may offer the precision needed for telepresence which preceding technologies will not be able to achieve. 5G-enabled Cloud computing is also facilitating the migration of processing power to conventional hardware systems, which is bringing a significant level of miniaturisation to existing devices. This is leading to greater viability for lightweight and compact devices that may ensure a better experience for smart home users. This is particularly important for at-home patients whose wearable sensors would otherwise be uncomfortable and unwieldy. Considering the future of smart homes As this discussion has covered, the connectivity, reliability, and accuracy of 5G offer technological benefits that range from network slicing to advancements in medical technology.
Speed and security in voice-activated smart home systems
In a smart home, 5G-enabled voice-activated systems (such as smart speakers) can receive voice commands from its user and achieve a near-instantaneous response, translating to higher user safety and security. Consider that hackers can exploit the vulnerability of existing smart home systems, particularly when their devices are both connected by and reliant on the 128-bit encryption of 4G. By offering a security standard with twice as many bits as its predecessor, 5G’s 256-bit encryption means that it is far better designed than its latest predecessor for protecting smart home devices from cyber attacks. (Malicious agents will require 2,256 different combinations to break a 256-bit encryption system, which renders the hacking process virtually impossible.) 5G also offers smart speakers, such as Amazon Echos and Google Homes, the ability to expedite the rate at which intelligent virtual assistant (IVA) software, such as Alexa, can respond to a user’s spoken commands. Smart speakers, which are connected to traditional Wi-Fi routers, are in increasing use throughout modern (not even necessarily smart) homes. However, they are restricted in terms of their response times. This is owing to how compute-
Healthcare Wearables and Hardware Miniaturisation
5G offers wide-scale connectivity improvements compared to previous networks. Such enhancements from 4G mean that the technology can significantly boost the adoption of smart home systems across several areas. For instance, industry predictions [6] refer to a notable boost in 5G-enabled wearable sensors adoption, which is beneficial for monitoring the wellbeing of users both in and out of the smart home. 5G allows medical personnel to offer effective communication and remote medical assistance
These advantages, among many others, mean that there are innumerable smart home capabilities offered by the
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