Towards a smarter medical system . . .
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency launched the AI-based Emergency Medical System Development Project today. The Korean government and a consortium of 21 companies, hospitals, and research institutes will jointly invest C$26.3 million over the next three years and work together to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G technologies to reduce patient transport time and enhance emergency care.
Faster internet, faster care . . .
5G’s main advantage is its low latency, meaning that data from one device can be transferred to another in almost real time. The South Korean project will leverage 5G infrastructure to share patient bio-data and video in real time to enable AI-run analysis of patient transport logistics and recommendations for patient care. The project demonstrates the benefits of 5G in its applications to public and emergency services.
Part of a greater tech strategy . . .
This initiative is part of the South Korean government’s 5G+ Strategy that it launched in April 2019 with the aim of stimulating C$205 billion worth of related industrial production and creating 600,000 jobs by 2026. Amid the Huawei row, Canada is now embroiled in discussions about 5G that focus primarily on security. South Korea’s support of 5G in its health-care sector stands as an example to Canada of the importance of including the connection between next generation mobile internet and the public good in discussions around Huawei, and 5G integration more generally.
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