Next generation Wi-Fi® AR/VR demo showcases 6 GHz healthcare and education opportunity supported by Thailand and the United States government
Bangkok, Thailand – July 25, 2024 – Wi-Fi Alliance® and Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University successfully showcased next generation Wi-Fi® technologies that will transform the future of healthcare. This live demonstration presented sophisticated Wi-Fi virtual and augmented reality (AR/VR) use cases that require fast speeds, high throughput, and low latency, underscoring 6 GHz Wi-Fi’s ability to support high-quality digital infrastructure to enhance medical education and service delivery.
The demonstration – 6 GHz Wi-Fi in healthcare: the future of AR/VR use cases for medical applications – highlighted two use cases using only the three 160 MHz channels available in the lower 500 MHz (lower 6 GHz band) versus the seven channels available in the full 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band (full 6 GHz band). The demo underscores the criticality of the full 6 GHz band for maintaining an optimal user experience under high network loads.
The demonstration highlighted the following key use cases:
- Efficient use of AR/VR technologies for medical training: AR/VR technologies like immersive virtual anatomy visualization allows for in-depth analysis of the human anatomy, providing doctors and medical students with an immersive 3D view of the human body including skeletal, muscular, neural, and soft tissue structures.
- Dense deployment streaming and file transfer: Next generation Wi-Fi supports the ability for every person in a 500-seat classroom to independently stream HD video, transfer files, or utilize 5 GHz and 6 GHz multi-layer network segmentation and deployment.
Through mutual cooperation between Ramathibodi Hospital and Wi-Fi Alliance – along with Wi-Fi Alliance member partners Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel, and Meta – this initial demonstration phase of a multi-month long trial embraces 6 GHz Wi-Fi to enhance teaching and learning capabilities to doctors and medical students in the hospital.
Additional support is being provided by The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), highlighting the socioeconomic impact of using full-spectrum 6 GHz Wi-Fi.
“Wi-Fi Alliance is proud to play a role in showcasing the tremendous opportunity of 6 GHz Wi-Fi to reshape healthcare,” said Kevin Robinson, President and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “Today’s Wi-Fi offers a new level of performance and reliability, and these demonstrations are only a sampling of Wi-Fi’s potential impact on patient care and medical and operational efficiencies within healthcare environments.”
“By harnessing the power of 6 GHz Wi-Fi, we are making our facility more efficient and connected,” said Dr. Sithakom Phusanti, Assistant Dean for Policy and Planning Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital. “This demonstration is the next step toward enhancing our capabilities as a teaching hospital, and next generation Wi-Fi technologies will foster a new phase of learning and development.”
In addition to supporting critical use cases, 6 GHz Wi-Fi infrastructure provides a scalable, reliable network to ensure healthcare facilities are prepared for future advancements. The Ramathibodi Hospital deployment aims to serve as a model for nationwide adoption of next-generation Wi-Fi connectivity, highlighting the various ways that Wi-Fi will revolutionize and reshape the future healthcare. The project can be replicated around the world.
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Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 80,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the Internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.
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About Ramathibodi Hospital
The Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital has a long-standing tradition of providing top-notch medical care. With a dedicated team of highly skilled healthcare professionals, the hospital offers a wide range of specialized services, from general practices to complex medical procedures. The institution's unwavering commitment to patient-centered care ensures that each individual receives the highest standard of treatment in a compassionate and supportive environment. As a hub of medical research and innovation, the institute’s state-of-the-art research facilities and collaborative environment foster groundbreaking studies in various fields, including genomics, regenerative medicine, and public health.
In addition, the institution is also renowned for its comprehensive and forward-thinking educational programs by offering a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate courses designed to train the next generation of healthcare professionals. By integrating advanced technologies with AR/VR into the clinical anatomy curriculum, the hospital ensures that students receive hands-on, practical experience in a controlled and immersive setting.