4G
technology
standing as Fourth Generation is the upcoming next generation technology which
will wipe its predecessor 3G out of the surface of the world. There really is
no clear definition of what 4G will be. It is generally accepted that 4G will
be a super-enhanced version of 3G – i.e., an entirely packet switched network
with all digital network elements and extremely high available bandwidth. For
the most part, it is believed that 4G will bring true multimedia capabilities
such as high-speed data access and video conferencing to the handset. It is also envisioned that 4G systems will
be deployed with software defined radios,
allowing the equipment to be upgraded
to new protocols and services via software upgrades. 4G also holds the promise
of worldwide roaming using a single handheld device. Smart
home (home automation) technology was inspired when the remote control
first started being introduced in houses. Popularity has increased since the
turn of the twenty-first century and continues to capture the general public's
interest. A smart home is any house specifically designed to accommodate the
needs of the occupant(s) by means of automation. Smart homes can have advanced
features such as presence detection or simple features such as voice activation
or sensors.
The definition of these two terms: 4G
technology and Smart home has given us the way to observe that the applications
of the 4G technology directly respond to the requirement and exigencies of
smart home. Therefore let’s show how emerging 4G Technologies and Its
Application lead toward Smart Home
Smart homes
A smart home is
a residence equipped with technology that enhances safety of patients at home
and monitors their health conditions. Worldwide, smart home initiatives are demonstrating
the potential of technology to support aging. The Aware Home developed by
Georgia Tech in the United States, for example,
is a project
developed in two identical independent living spaces that allow for controlled
experiments with technology . In Sweden, the SmartBo project explores the use of
sensors, visual and tactile signaling devices, and speech synthesizers for
elders with mobility impairments and cognitive disabilities. The PROSAFE
project in France uses infrared sensors to identify abnormal behavior and to
collect
Representative
data on Alzheimer’s patients’ nocturnal and daily activity. The
“HospitalWithoutWalls” in Australia is a project that includes a wireless fall
monitoring system in which patients at home wear small sensors that measure
heart rate and
body movement.
Emerging 4G technology
4G
Applications and Their Benefits to Public Safety
One of the most notable advanced applications for 4G systems is location
based services. 4G location applications would be based on visualized, virtual
navigation
schemes that would support a remote database containing graphical representations
of streets, buildings, and other physical characteristics of a large metropolitan
area. This database could be accessed by a subscriber in a moving vehicle equipped
with the appropriate wireless device, which would provide the platform on which
would appear a virtual representation of the environment ahead.
For example, one would be able to see the internal layout of a building
during an
Emergency rescue. This type of application is sometimes referred to as Tele
geo-processing, which is a combination of Geographical Information Systems
(GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) working in concert over a high-capacity
wireless mobile system. Tele geo-processing over 4G networks will make it
possible for the public safety community to have wireless operational functionality
and specialized applications for everyday operations, as well as for crisis management.
The emergence of next generation wireless technologies will enhance the effectiveness
of the existing methods used by public safety. 3G technologies and beyond could
possibly bring the following new features to public safety:
Virtual navigation: As described, a remote database contains the graphical representation
of streets, building, and physical characteristics of a large metropolis.
Blocks of this database are transmitted in rapid sequence to a vehicle,
where a rendering program permits the occupants to visualize the
environment
ahead. They may also "virtually" see the internal layout of
buildings to plan an emergency rescue or to plan to engage hostile elements
hidden in the building.
Tele-medicine: A
paramedic assisting a victim of a traffic accident in a remote location could
access medical records (e.g.-rays) and establish a video conference so that a
remotely based surgeon could provide “on-scene” assistance. In such a
Circumstance, the paramedic could relay the victim's vital information
(recorded locally) back to the hospital in real time, for review by the
surgeon.
Crisis-management applications: These arise, for example, as a result of natural disasters where the
entire communications infrastructure is in disarray. In such circumstances
restoring communications quickly is essential. With wideband wireless mobile
communications, both limited and complete communications capabilities, including
Internet and video services, could be set up in a matter of
hours. In comparison, it may take days or even weeks to re-establish communications
capabilities when a wire-line network is rendered inoperable.
Limitations
of 4G
Although the concept of 4G communications shows much promise, there are still
limitations that must be addressed. One major limitation is operating area.
Although 2G networks are becoming more ubiquitous, there are still many
areas not served. Rural areas and many buildings in metropolitan areas are not
being served well by existing wireless networks. This limitation of today’s
networks will carry over into future generations of wireless systems.
The hype that is being created by 3G networks is giving the general
public unrealistic expectations of always on, always available, anywhere,
anytime communications. The public must realize that although high-speed data communications
will be delivered, it will not be equivalent to the wired Internet – at least not
at first. If measures are not taken now to correct perception issues, when 3G
and later 4G services are deployed, there may be a great deal of disappointment
associated with the deployment of the technology, and perceptions could become
negative. If this were to happen, neither 3G nor 4G may realize its full
potential. Another limitation is cost. The equipment required to implement a
next generation network is still very expensive. Carriers and providers have to
plan carefully to make sure that expenses are kept realistic.
One technique currently being implemented in Asian networks is a
Pay-Per-Use model of services. This model will be difficult to implement in the
United States, where the public is used to a service-for-free model (e.g., the
Internet).
Conclusion
Emerging 4G technology networks may eventually deliver on all the
promises. At times, it seems that technological advances are being made on a daily
basis. These advances will make high speed data/voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP)
networks a reality. In the meantime, it is important for industry to develop a
strong 3G offering that is palatable for the general public. Equally as
important, industry must ensure that expectations are realistic and that
services meet and exceed those expectations. If all goes according to what the industry
envisions, it may be sooner, rather than later that we will see wireless communications
evolve. This evolution will give the general public as well as the public safety
community amazing functionality from the convenience of a single handheld device.
Even though the emerging fourth generation technology and its application still
present some short coming, in general we can affirm with satisfaction that its
growth is going on in accordance with the requirements of smart homes.
This expansion of the 4G
technology will fulfill in a near future the smart homes dreams so dear to the
research community and technology users today.
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