Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, Cloud solutions… the technologies and concepts behind these terms are not always accessible. However, these innovations can make our lives easier in concrete ways and help us build a more resilient future. Here are 5 ways they can do just that.
#1 The Cloud can enable better access to education
The health crisis demonstrated the importance of remote learning to ensure educational continuity. A blended model of face-to-face teaching and remote learning will certainly continue after the crisis, hence the importance of adapted technologies. The French start-up Omnilive, for example, has developed a livestream cloud video solution that recreates the interactive experience of face-to-face teaching. The advantage of cloud solutions is their ease of use: there’s no need to install software or create an account, you just click to connect via a URL.
#2 AI can boost cybersecurity
Remote access, particularly to cloud solutions, poses cybersecurity challenges. To limit the risk of cyber attacks, companies can carry out audits to find vulnerabilities in their IT systems. Thanks to AI, it is possible to analyse how a company’s IT system will react by modelling typical interactions between users. Some companies, for example, offer a behavioural analysis tool capable of detecting system anomalies in order to prevent attacks and intervene quickly.
#3 IoT can help conserve energy
At the start of 2020, several high-level European authorities joined forces to present a roadmap on “Europe's digital future”, emphasising the importance of new technologies in the fight against climate change. Buildings or machines equipped with sensors make it possible to monitor and control energy consumption in real time. Smart switches, for example, can be installed on lighting systems in company premises. When the light is on in an empty room, the information is transmitted through the IoT network and processed in the cloud so that the light can switch off automatically to save energy.
#4 Low tech can help create local jobs l
Innovation can lead to obsolescence, replacing old technology with new, and therefore creating waste. This is not a very virtuous circle so the low tech approach is responding by asking the right questions upstream of the innovation process: “Is the environmental damage ‘worth’ the utility of the object or of the service provided?” “What is the shelf life of the product?” “Is it repairable, reusable, recyclable?” Low tech must therefore be useful, sustainable and accessible. This could mean reconditioning electronic devices or producing new ones from existing materials. This type of virtuous and greener initiative also promotes local employment.
#5 5G can accelerate telemedicine
The use of virtual doctor’s appointments has become widespread in recent months. Teleconsultation booths connected and activated remotely by doctors are gradually being established in pharmacies and in the workplace. The idea is that patients can take their blood pressure or temperature themselves while meeting the doctor virtually via video. Thanks to the increased speeds provided by the 5G network, the solution will become even more widespread, promoting access to healthcare, including in medical deserts. At the same time, 5G will also save precious time for emergency services and healthcare teams, by allowing the immediate exchange of medical information as soon as the patient is attended by paramedics in the ambulance.