Quick Bytes – May 18th: 5G Set to Be the ‘Catalyst for Innovation in IOT
A look at the most interesting startup and business-related news stories of the week.
5G Will Drive Down Robot Cost
Quick Byte
The 5G network looks set to roll out in 2020, although this will largely depend on how willing nations are to invest in infrastructure to implement the network effectively. 5G will be the ‘catalyst for innovation in IOT’ and it also has the ability to assist with one of the challenges of robotics growth – the cost. The high capacity on the network allows a lot of the computing, or the processing part, to be offloaded elsewhere, like the cloud, instead of individually built into each device.
The Full Story
TechRepublic caught up with Peter Montgomery, GSMA’s director of partnerships, at Mobile World Congress 2018 and Montgomery talked about how 5G could dramatically drop the cost of some devices by moving a lot more processing to the cloud. That will reduce the amount of compute power needed to put in some devices, such as robots.
You can watch the interview above or read the transcript below.
Montgomergy said, “So where things like 5G really come into the fore is obviously there’s the low latency side of things. There’s the high capacity on the network that allows you to offload a lot of the computing or the processing part that might be done on the device normally. You can now de-centralize that or centralize it and take it right up into the cloud. Read the Full Article Here
Troubleshooting Dubai’s ‘cybertecture’
Quick Byte
Widely dubbed the iPad building, The Pad in Dubai is set to be completed this year, with 231 apartments filled with virtual reality, biosensors and monitors everywhere. See here for pictures. Current companies who deal in smart home devices, handle small areas of a home – security cameras, thermostats, lighting. The Pad’s model is to provide an entire home of smart technology. It will be interesting to see how they manage technology upgrades (or impending obsolescence), as well as home repairs, which will now be far above that which an electrician or handyperson could deal with..
The Full Story
After almost 12 years of construction, a building called “The Pad” (previously called the iPad tower) is set to open in Dubai this year. Each of its 231 apartments will be equipped with the latest smart home technology (which is somewhat ironic seeing as the building’s design is inspired by a docked iPod, a product that’s decidedly out-of-date).
Architect James Law hopes the apartment building will convince others that technology is an essential design tool. Architecture “used to just be about the concrete, steel, and the glass, and the shape of a building. But now I think we’re living in a world where those materials are just the basic materials. There are now new materials like technology, smart material, bytes of content, and interactivity” Law told Business Insider. Read the Full Article Here
Grocery Tech Flip-Flop
Quick Byte
In what seems to be a never-ending back and forth, Walmart are reportedly getting rid of their Scan & Go machines. Like so much other in-store technology, the self-checkout machines were put in place to save the company money. Unlike the adoption of personal consumer technology, self-service technology can sometimes be seen as taking away a benefit from the customer – having someone do the job for you. Walmart’s implementation of this tech was unable to get around the hassle and confusion for their customers. Allegedly, a potential replacement of this technology is now being tested by Walmart. It’s called Check Out With Me where employees will ring up a customer’s order and then scan their payment card using a handheld device from anywhere inside the store.
The Full Story
Walmart had planned on expanding the use of its Mobile Scan & Go technology in order to replace store cashiers with machines but according to a new report, the company has decided not to go forward with this plan. The Mobile Scan & Go technology enabled customers to ring up their own purchases and then pay for them without having to go to a store cashier. The company has decided against it now because the technology didn’t really work for its customers.
Bloomberg reports that Walmart has decided to get rid of the Mobile Scan & Go machines at its stores thus abanding its plans to replace store cashiers with machines. Walmart has been trying to push this plan through for a year and a successful launch would have resulted in savings down the line for the company because it wouldn’t have had to employ as many cashiers. Read the Full Article Here
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