The Internet of Things (IoT) is a powerful technology that’s been developing quickly in recent years. As we’ve discussed in previous articles, IoT has the potential for many powerful applications that we can utilize going forward. One obvious flaw, however, is that IoT can only perform as well as the network on which it runs. With 5G expanding by the day, combining the two has the potential to revolutionize our cities, communication, transportation, and the world at large.
Applications
This article by IoT for All, The Future of 5G and IoT in Smart Cities, explains the many revolutionary applications of IoT and 5G broadband. For example, it could determine increased energy efficiency, as devices and appliances in a building could communicate with each other to monitor and manage electricity usage. Infrastructure could also benefit greatly as the technology could predict and manage traffic efficiently, possibly curbing heavy traffic times. Imagine if map applications collected everyone’s destinations and were able to spread them across multiple routes to optimize traffic flow. These applications may seem distant or utopia, but one of the biggest barriers to their implementation has been communication between devices, something that IoT can greatly improve.
Security Concerns
As discussed in a previous article, the IoT comes with some security concerns. Connecting these fundamentally important city structures could increase the chance of massively damaging cyber-attacks. As IoT advances, many of these security flaws will need to be worked out, so that we can take advantage of the benefits and mitigate any cyber-security threats. The eventual development of things like the quantum internet could make these systems hacker-proof, eliminating any cause for concern.
Hope for the Future
These ideas, musings of a technological utopia, are interesting and inspiring to think about, but they are not new. Many of our country’s wealthiest CEOs, such as Elon Musk and Bill Gates, have already discussed or announced plans to construct planned cities of this nature. Despite what seems nigh-impossible, these men seem confident in their vision. To fight climate change, increase quality of life, and innovate into the future, the development of smart cities may be integral to our future; it all starts with IoT and 5G.
