5G expected to give a boost to construction technology

Fifth-generation cellular technology (5G) will enable enhanced data flows and faster response times that will boost technologies used by the construction industry, according to research firm GlobalData.

Design and construction firms will have access to more robust systems that employ virtual reality, Internet of Things, robotics, and drones.

“In addition to the striking speed, which enables data transmission between two end systems almost instantly, 5G’s ability to connect thousands of such devices at once with lower latency, higher reliability, and lesser battery consumption lays a strong foundation for the effective adoption of emerging technologies,” said Archi Dasgupta, Director of Disruptive Tech, GlobalData.

Elevated bandwidth will enable drones to shoot live 4K or 360-degree videos which will revolutionize the way people watch videos. IoT applications will be more reliable, with lower latency and reliability—traits that are critical for daily operations and improved safety.

Enhanced data transmission will make virtual reality more effective, but 5G adoptions will increase gradually in this space and mainstream adoption will take at least several years.

New York City has two very large buildings dedicated to answering the 911 calls of its five boroughs. With more than 11 million emergency calls annually, it makes perfect sense. The second of these buildings, the Public Safety Answering Center II (PSAC II) is located on a nine-acre parcel of land in the Bronx. It’s an imposing 450,000 square-foot structure—a 240-foot-wide by 240-foot-tall cube. The gleaming aluminum cube risesthe equivalent of 24 stories from behind a grassy berm, projecting the unlikely impression that it might actually be floating. Like most visually striking structures, the building has drawn as much scorn as it has admiration.