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2019

Vodafone launches 5G at UCC

13 Aug 2019
(l-r): Professor Barry O’Reilly, Director of ASSERT and Anne O’Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland. Photo: Naoise Culhane.

The ASSERT Centre at UCC today became the world's first 5G-connected telemedicine and medical robotics training centre, after Vodafone Ireland's launch of commercial 5G.

The centre enables clinicians, industry and academics to design, develop, deploy and trial innovative and disruptive healthcare solutions, in a simulated healthcare environment, showcasing real-time monitoring, telemedicine, and robotic surgery, integrated with wearable IoMT-based devices.

The ASSERT Centre is set to become a Vodafone 5G global centre of IoT excellence for healthcare and end-to-end solution development, which could revolutionise healthcare delivery across Ireland and the world. 

Professor Barry O’Reilly, Director of ASSERT, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said: "I am delighted to announce this strategic partnership; Anne O’Leary and her team from Vodafone have embraced the importance of this type of technology in healthcare innovation. 5G will revolutionise medicine with rapid connectivity of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).

"From advanced wearable technologies that will facilitate the care of patients at home, to immediate connectivity of new diagnostic technologies like handheld smartphone-connected ultrasound between point of care and hospital specialists, for example at a road traffic accident and the emergency department, to remote robotic surgery."

Anne O’Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland, said: "Through ASSERT and its connection to Vodafone’s 5G network, surgeons can now train to use world-leading technologies that will radically change our lives and deliver solutions to healthcare problems across the developed and developing world.”   

The ASSERT/ Vodafone strategic partnership will create a Global 5G incubator for the MedTech sector to test new technologies, assess 5G functionality and roll out to clinical trials, providing that bridge between clinicians, research, innovation and the MedTech industry, she added. 

Vodafone’s new 5G network consists of fully standardised Ericsson 5G, which is being deployed using Ericsson AIR 6488 Radio and Baseband 6639. This network will support many other new technologies, including artificial intelligence, the internet of things, connected cities and self-driving cars.

Live across locations in Cork, Limerick, Dublin, Galway and Waterford, Vodafone will continue expanding the network to further locations in Ireland in the coming months.

University College Cork

Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh

College Road, Cork T12 K8AF

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