Kozminski Techblog

Recently 5G technology has been receiving a huge amount of attention. We are being told that 5G is going to drastically change our daily lives. It will enable us to create smart cities, deploy fully autonomous vehicles, connect to the massive internet of things, communicate orders of magnitude faster, and many more[1]. However, we should question whether all of these claims are real and achievable with the technology. What are the pitfalls of the 5G?

5G versus 4G

5G is the fifth generation global wireless technology. The technology differs to a great extent from its predecessor – 4G LTE network. It is believed that the speed of 5G will be 100 times faster than 4G’s[2]. For instance, we perceive the 4G network as quite fast, a maximum speed of 4G is 12.5 MB/s. On average, the speed is significantly lower due to various bandwidth demands – 1.87 MB/s[2]. It usually takes 27 minutes to download a 3-gigabyte movie with 4G technology. When it comes to 5G, the speed is drastically higher. The speed of 5G is topping out at 2.5 GB/s. According to the source, the average speed of 5G may come closer to 87.5 MB/s taking into consideration various restrictions. If we were to download the same 3-gigabytes movie with 5G technology, it would take us only 27 seconds[2]. Its also believed that the next generation of global wireless technology will provide higher capacity, meaning that the technology would be able to connect more devices simultaneously than the previous generation. The technology is going to supports millions of devices per square mile, unlike 4G supports only a fraction of this[2].

Advantages and disadvantages.

When it comes to advantages of the technology, higher speed, and enhanced connectivity are promising to provide a better mobile user experience and way faster communication. Secondly, 5G will enormously impact the internet of things, because, in order for devices to communicate with one another, they need fast internet and seamless connection. The same advantage applies to autonomous vehicles. While moving the vehicle powered with 5G technology will be able to ceaselessly communicate with other vehicles on the road, send data to manufactures and assess driving conditions[3]. Finally, the enhanced connectivity that 5G presents will drastically reshape health care in rural areas. The 5G will push the development of telemedicine, remote surgeries, and physical therapy using augmented reality. China was the first country to use 5G technology to perform surgery on an animal [4].

However, we should keep in mind a few disadvantages of the technology. First and foremost, not all mobile phones will be able to support 5G technology. Secondly, in order to deliver 5G to the customers, a carrier will have to build additional infrastructure. The investments that the carrier will make, may directly impact the price of mobile plans. Finally, it is also believed that the technology will be energy-hungry.[3] It means, that manufacturers of various mobile devices will have to develop new batteries that will able to withstand new demands.

Conclusion

I truly believe that 5G will greatly impact the way we communicate, consume information, use various devices. However, we should keep in mind that the implementation of 5G is quite a complex task that requires a lot of resources and time.

Sources

1. https://www.cc-n.com/in-building-cellular-das/5g-hope-vs-hype/
2. https://www.vxchnge.com/blog/5g-statistics
3. https://technative.io/the-road-to-the-future-what-to-expect-from-5g/
4. https://www.huawei.com/en/industry-insights/outlook/mobile-broadband/wireless-for-sustainability/cases/worlds-first-remote-operation-using-5g-surgery

At the beginning of 2021, the internet exploded with the news about emerging blockchain technology named NFT. Blockchain experts and enthusiasts claimed that NFT will significantly change the way we certify ownership over digital or even physical assets.

Definition of NFT

Abbreviation “NFT’ stands for non-fungible token. When we use the money to buy our favorite drink or bitcoin to purchase Tesla, we can easily interchange the money or cryptocurrency[1]. Basically, we can swap 20 PLN with two 10s and we will have the same value which means that money is fungible. NFT is exactly the opposite, every token is one of kind. For instance, you can not take the “LES DEMOISELLES D’AVIGNON” painting and swap it with ” GUERNICA” and expect to receive the same value even though these paintings were created by one author – Pablo Picasso[2]. So NFT is a unique digital asset that can be sold or bought like anything else[1]. The NFT is built on blockchain technology and can not be forged by anyone.

Why NFT ?

Nowadays, NFTs drastically alter the digital art industry and collectibles [3]. It is a very good technology to certify his and her ownership of an asset on the internet. Every NFT token is encrypted with the author’s signature, which later helps to prove the authenticity of the token. For instance, digital artist – Mike Winkelmann as known as Beeple sold his artworks for over $69 million at Christie’s auction[4]. This success positioned Beeple among the top three most valuable living artists in the World. A very famous GIF named “Nyan Cat” has been sold bringing its author $600 000.

Future of NFT technology

NFT is an incredibly interesting phenomenon and I believe that attention to this technology will be steadily increasing. When we think of digital artwork or even some product, we rarely question who owns it. It happens because the fact of ownership on the internet is fuzzy. Or how can you own something that can be endlessly copied? NFT proves that you can own a digital asset or even sell it. Fundamentally, real ownership in the art world is about owning authentic artwork, we do not claim that we own Mona Lisa if we have a copy hanging on the wall. So ownership is about authenticity and your rights on a certain asset. NFT does not change the fundamental understanding of ownership, it just transfers this well-known principle to the digital world and helps artists to monetize their creativity.

Sources

1. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56371912
2. https://learnodo-newtonic.com/pablo-picasso-famous-paintings
3. https://ethereum.org/en/nft/
4. https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/beeple-first-nft-artwork-at-auction-sale-result/index.html

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Just imagine living in a cozy and high-tech house somewhere in the mountains or near waterfall or even better living right on the beach and  enjoying sunsets everyday.Now all of these are real.

Only clean energy and sustainability as a core focus. Off-grid solar power, water generation from air humidity, and autonomous sewage –  Dom.ai can make your life more comfortable everywhere without limits and without bills, saving you up to $3600 in annual energy costs!

Ukrainian start-up homebuilding company named Dom.ai has created house which fully self-powered and transportable.The house do not need to be connected to  some external electrical and plumbing systems.Energy is generated by solar panels which are located of the roof of the house and the energy is stored in a battery connected to the house.Water is collected and filtered from humidity in the air and there is a possibility to pour water into the system by yourself.Walls of the house are fully printed by 3D printer.

  The house has the highest thermal performance among residential buildings  and thermal characteristics are high enough to use 20 times less energy than an ordinary buildings.That’s why it is possible to realize full off-grid autonomy in a cold climate without complex and expensive engineering heating system.”

Moreover, the walls and windows of the house are extremely durable and it can survive hurricane, earthquake and even zombie apocalypses.

The company offers three models of the houses depending on their size and autonomous characteristics.

ModulOne

ModulOne has 37 square meters size, living room studio ,kitchen and bathroom.The house can fit up to 2 people.It has two freshwater tanks up to 1420 liters.Output capacity of 7kW and a storage capacity of 10kWh LiFePo4 battery .The price starts from 97 000 USD

ModulTwo

ModulTwo has 74 square meters size, one living room, one bedroom, kitchen, bathroom.It can fit up to 4 people. It has two freshwater tanks up to 1420 liters.Output capacity of 7kW and a storage capacity of 16 kWh LiFePo4 battery .The price starts from 147 000 USD.

They also offer a special “Zombie apocalypse” package that includes armored glazing, an alarm system, extra toilet paper storage and a bible.

The house is equipped with smart house technology which consists of 24 different elements working  together in order to reduce waste of energy and water and increase safety and comfort.

Since 2017 the company has received 8000 preorders  in the USA only .

What do you think about this ambitious company?
Would you like to live in the house like this?

Sources :

1. https://www.businessinsider.com/3d-printed-house-robot-passivdom-2017-4?IR=T#this-model-doesnt-include-a-separate-bedroom-which-means-residents-need-a-sleeper-sofa-a-small-bathroom-is-located-near-the-kitchen-4
2. https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/10/passivdom-is-an-zombie-proof-autonomous-3d-printed-mobile-houses
3. https://passivdom.com/
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i_UfcZGLW4

Reading Time: 2 minutesZipline is robotic company which was founded in 2011 by Keller Rinaudo as robotic company and was producing small robots which were using mobile phones as their central processors( Romotive robots).In 2014 the main project was closed and the company was looking for new business ideas which would made bigger social impact. Later on Zipline focused on delivery of medicines to remote areas using automated drones.

Zipline operates the world’s only drone delivery system at national scale to send urgent medicines, such as blood and vaccines, to those in need – no matter where they live.                       (http://www.flyzipline.com/ )

According to the company, health workers in remote clinics can simply send text message to  Zipline via Messenger or Zipline application with needed medicines and wait for a parcel .All medical products are stored in Zipline distribution warehouses which enables immediate access to  most important and scarce medicines.After receiving text order ,distribution center pack up drone with medicines and send it to heath worker within a minutes , after 30 minutes the order is delivered be parachute to designed drop zone.

The drones company uses called Zips, weight of each drone is around 10 kilos and it can carry up to 1.8 kilos.

Nowadays the company is partnering with the government of Rwanda and serves 21 hospitals of western part of the country.They provide access to lifesaving medicines for almost eight million citizens of Rwanda and cover more than 7000 square miles.Having such a service  in the country where only 25% of roads are paved can basically mean the difference between life and death.In 2017 company made around 1400 flights and delivered 2600 units of blood.  Zipline is intended to open one more distribution center in Rwanda by the end of 2019.Moreover the company plans to work with Tanzania Ministry of Health in order to open distribution centers in Tanzania, the country 35 times the size of Rwanda.

Sources:

http://www.flyzipline.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipline_International

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/24/16195442/zipline-zip-blood-medical-delivery-drones-rwanda-tanzania-keller-rinaudo

https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/13/17206398/zipline-drones-delivery-blood-emergency-medical-supplies-startup-rwanda-tanzania

https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/13/13267868/zipline-drone-delivery-rwanda-blood-launc

Reading Time: 2 minutesToyota is one of the biggest car producers in the world, has announced very ambitious plan to change everything we know about mobility and delivery services. The company has created new concept car which is fully autonomous electric vehicle and named the concept “E-Pallete”.

“The automobile industry is clearly amidst its most dramatic period of change as technologies like electrification, connected and automated driving are making significant progress. Toyota remains committed to making ever better cars. Just as important, we are developing mobility solutions to help everyone enjoy their lives, and we are doing our part to create an ever-better society for the next 100 years and beyond. This announcement marks a major step forward in our evolution towards sustainable mobility, demonstrating our continued expansion beyond traditional cars and trucks to the creation of new values including services for customers”, said Akio Toyoda.

Basically the concept car will have variety of functions from typical mobility services such as carpooling and ride-sharing to mobile office, retail spaces ,hotel rooms and even medical clinics. Exterior E-pallet looks like   small shuttle with the modular interior which can be modified depending on whether it will be used like on-demand delivery, ride-hailing service or small cargo transport. Moreover E-pallete cars can have different length and sizes  depending on the needs, big  ones will be for passengers transportation  and small ones for delivery groceries.

Toyota is intended to begin testing of E-pallet concept in 2020s in the USA.Japanese car producer has recently  partnered with a number of companies such as UBER, DIDI, Mazda, Amazon and Pizza Hut which means seriousness of the project

To sum up, in my view Toyota has really great and ambitious idea but nowadays implementation of this idea is very difficult because of firstly, lack of regulations (who should be responsible in  case of an accident). Secondly, the technology which enables cars to be fully autonomous is not that advanced YET.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Smartphones give us ability to connect with our friends, our relatives, help us to get news, great source of entertainment and all this possible with just a tap of a touchscreen. From the other hand overuse of mobile devices can interfere with work, school and relationships. Moreover, approximately 72% of people say that they are rarely more than 2 meters away from their mobile devices. This is what is known as nomophobia (no mobile phobia) and it is real addiction.

How smartphone addiction affects our lives?

Phone addiction especially among children modify the way they interact with one another. Recent study shows that 10 years old children prefer communicating with others through mobile devices and social media than face to face communication. This might lead to serious consequences. Face to face interactions helps a child to develop emotionally and behaviourally which is impossible when a child communicating over mobile device. Adults can get addicted as well and the consequences are not less destructive. Overuse of smartphone leads to number of different physical problems such as: digital eye strain, neck problems, increased illnesses, car accidents. What is more it can lead to psychological problems such as interrupted sleeping patterns, obsessive compulsive disorder and even depression.

How to overcome smartphone addiction?

First of all we have to be aware that smartphone addiction exists. Secondly, we have to identify how much we use our smartphones for non-work and non-essential activities and reduce usage to minimum. Nowadays it is easier to do, using digital tools like “screen time”(iphone) and “digital wellbeing” (android).Finally, engage in real human contact, instead communicating over social media with friends and family try to spend some real time with them.

If you are not encouraged enough to reduce phone usage to minimum. “VitaminWater” company offers $100K for those who will not be using smartphone for 365 days…
https://www.vitaminwater.com/.

Links
https://www.zdnet.com/article/phone-sex-using-our-smartphones-from-the-shower-to-the-sack/
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/smartphone-addiction.htm/
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/phone-addiction-how-to-overcome-checking-mobile-tips-catherine-price-new-book-a8171761.html

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nowadays more than 50 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas and this number is expected to increase to 68 per cent by 2050.

Urbanization brings a lot of benefits for society, including better access to health care, opportunities for education, better jobs and higher salaries. But from the other hand it also associated with societal and environmental challenges such as: pollution due to poor collection of waste and traffic congestion, greater poverty and consequently higher crime rates and price of living in big city always higher that in rural areas.

How to overcome these challenges?

Across the globe cities are using smart city technology which is used to manage assets and resources efficiently. The technology is mainly based on data collection from citizens, devices, schools, hospitals, information about traffic and transportation systems, using huge number of physical devices connected to network. Smart city technology generates giant amount of data. But this technology  is just a tool which supports city officials during decision-making process.While artificial intelligence is able to turn this data into insight.

In general, machine learning based tools can change smart cities to even smarter and it can play a key role in various applications.Firstly, it can help to reduce driving time in a city using adaptive signal control, it uses real time data to change the timing on traffic lights to adjust to the flow of traffic. Adaptive signal control is expected to improve travel time by more that 10% in some areas by 50%. Furthermore, the technology can reduce amount of wasted fuel and increase productivity.

Secondly, AI can be used in video surveillance for recognizing humans, vehicles and different objects. For instance, it may help police to spot crimes and accidents  faster. Moreover video surveillance with AI can help find stolen cars, check whether your insurance is expired or not by reading licence plates only and it can check 1800 number plates in one minute across four lines of traffic and inform police almost immediately. What is more due to AI technology, predictive policing becomes more sophisticated nowadays. Based on simple predictive patterns like  payday+ alcohol=problems, predictive systems can play important roles in crimes prevention and fighting gang violence.From economic point of view automatization in cities can save governments  more that 40 billions USD 

In conclusion, all this innovations can extremely improve quality of live in our cities and make them more sustainable. But we should be aware that AI is relatively new technology and it is might be unpredictable.

Would you like to live in a city run by AI ?

Sources

• https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/the-urbanization-solution
• https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/23/16907238/artificial-intelligence-surveillance-cameras-security
• https://www.governmentciomedia.com/ai-predictive-analytics-stop-sex-offenders
• https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/19/urban-explosion-kinshasa-el-alto-growth-mexico-city-bangalore-lagos