South Korea Launches 5G Tech Virus Screening At Incheon International
South Korea launches Mobile Edge Computing technology at the Incheon International Airport with Artificial Intelligence enhanced virus screening system as a precautionary measure. Fully automated surveillance has been installed to enable accuracy in detecting COVID symptoms and monitor other matters at arrival or departure.
The Ministry of Science and ICT has noted that the systems would check for any unconventional apporaches by passengers without any masks or having any symptoms of COVID-19. The monitoring system installed at the arrival and departure passage ways would check body temparatures, and may carry out other precautionary measures by sending robots to follow up concerns of disinfection.
SK Telecom Co., Ltd. is the largest South Korean wireless telecommunications operator with over 50% of the local market share, has installed millimeter wave band, using frequencies between 30GHz and 300GHz, of 5G base stations at the airport along with their self-developed artificial intelligence (AI) chip named 'SAPEON X220'. As stated with further details about the new AI chip,
SAPEON X220 will enable the provision of high-quality AI services by enhancing the performance of AI data centers through speedy computation of massive amounts of data.
Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Technology
Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) or Multi-Access Edge Computing ensures compute and storage within the boundary of network operators, close to the end users. With unparallel advantages, such edge computing provides services at low latency, high bandwidth, device processing and data offload along with trusted computing and storage facilities that can be managed by the communication service providers.
Edge computing unveils the potential range of enterprise opportunities in broadening usage as private 5G networks and Internet of Things (IoT). The main features of Mobile Edge Computing are listed as:
Low Latency
Latest advancements to technologies requires much computing power to access data at even more faster rate than previously possible. Autonomous activities and real-time augmentation in healthcare or vehicles demands ultra low latency which is provided by edge computing in facillitating distributed compute close to consumption points at lower latencies. Having faster access to critical information, low latency ensures credibility and enhanced security.
Maximised Network Capacity
As 5G wireless network technology influences huge amounts of data handling per area than the current 4G, the network capacity are ensured through data offloading and context-aware computation offloading in expecting future wireless networks to require higher capacity of Radio Access Network (RAN). MEC and content caching enables increased network capacity by caching the often required popular contents to the edge, thereby providing high bandwidth.
Enhanced Data Security
As MEC brings the processes close to the user by integrating with the local cellular base stations, the data security level is increased while ensuring real-time surveillance and monitoring. Confidentiality of data being the primary concern of privacy, edge computing eliminated unauthorized access to user data while they are transmitted and stored within the core network infrastructure.
Edge Computing ensures integrity and availability with authenticated access control as the data stored in cloud data center are encrypted in Ciphertext form.
Artificial Intelligence has its major reach in various fields post the COVID pandemic requiring modifications to conventional practices all over the world, in complete digitalization of services.
As per the latest report, South Korea's 5G subscribers has exceeded 9 Million in September, 2020, which accounts for around 13.2% of the total mobile users. However, the mmWave 5G service which has been installed in the airport is only available for the B2B segment with no further confirmations for B2C as the cost of building infrastructure in providing such service is much higher and is an issue.