Liverpool Sensor City Funding

Liverpool’s Sensor City has been awarded £3.5 million to explore the potential uses of 5G in health and social care.

16:46 01 May 2018

Sensor City in Liverpool is part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme. Being one of only six testbeds in the country, it received £3.5million from the government and was tasked to explore the potential applications of the next generation mobile network in health and social care.

 

A consortium made up of the NHS, public sector health suppliers local SMEs, university researchers and a UK 5G technology vendor will use the funding to deploy Internet of Things (IoT), low-cost 5G networks, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The main goal is to apply such technologies to reduce the digital divide in health and social care. Issues that they are targeting include loneliness in older adults, patient monitoring and support and independent living aids.

 

Alison Mitchell, executive director at Sensor City, said: “The government’s 5G strategy for the UK presents a fantastic opportunity to transform the lives of many, especially through health and social care. So I think I speak for all partners when I say we’re excited to see this work unfold over the next five years.”