Intel 5G Technology at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to Play a Transformative Role from Sports to Transportation.
Written By Aicha Evans
The 2018 Olympic Winter Games were a successful qualifying trial for even bigger, more dramatic arenas: the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and widespread global rollout of 5G commercial standards and networks by that same year.
As a worldwide TOP partner of the Olympic Games through 2024, Intel and KT, a National Partner of PyeongChang 2018, delivered the Winter Olympics’ largest broad-scale 5G network – including over 22 5G links at 10 sites delivering 3,800 terabytes of network capacity.
As the Olympic Winters Games comes to a close and we look ahead, Intel is excited to unveil our collaboration with NTT DOCOMO, a National Partner of Tokyo 2020, to provide 5G technologies supporting network infrastructure, connectivity and collaboration on new experiences for the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games.
And here’s what people can expect as we look ahead:
High-Resolution Video: Expect 360-degree, 8K-video streams that may showcase real-time action across high-resolution devices at Olympic venues. Instead of watching surfing from the beach, for example, viewers will feel like they’re riding the waves with the athletes. Fans may be able to take in the action using virtual reality powered by Intel® True VR from their TV, headset or wireless device, provided through rights holding broadcasters, running on transformed 5G networks capable of delivering massive amounts of data at multi-gigabit speeds.
Smart city sensors and fully connected cars: These could change the way fans physically move through the city of Tokyo. Because of heightened intelligence in devices and at the edge, the 5G network will tackle unique data-intensive workloads, such as pervasive facial recognition, useful for everything from stadium access to threat reduction. Intel and other Olympic partners may offer the latest iteration of 5G communications for vehicles, which already have achieved data speeds of up to 1 Gbps for 4K-resolution video communications with a vehicle traveling at 30 km/h.
Athletes: They will also gain a new edge from 5G as they train and compete. Access to rich data and analytics will let them course-correct their training programs. Wearables, smart eHealth equipment and AR/VR simulations, all optimized over a 5G network, could leverage artificial intelligence to help competitors step up their game.
Intel’s 5G technologies, modems and infrastructure platforms will help us develop gigabit connectivity, new mobility solutions, more immersive viewership experiences, cutting-edge smart city applications and advanced broadcasting services.
We are optimistic about what the 5G connected world can do for us in the next few years, as we continue to define, prototype, test and deliver next-generation 5G technologies, products and solutions. The Olympics are the ultimate proving grounds for new technologies and the ways they impact our lives and communities.
Just as athletes become champions by constantly building, improving and learning new skills, I know with great certainty that Intel and its 5G collaborators share that same deep commitment to refining and deploying this fantastic and highly transformative technology.
Aicha Evans is senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Intel Corporation.
