Cyber-Physical System and Artificial Intelligence-Integrated Communications Use Cases Demonstrate the Urgent Need to Create and Deploy an All-Photonics Network and a Data-Centric Infrastructure to Augment Today’s Internet Infrastructure

 

Wakefield, MA – October 27, 2021 – The Innovative Optical and Wireless Network Global Forum (IOWN Global Forum) finalized two use cases that validate the need to supplement today’s overburdened communication and computing infrastructure with an all-photonics network and a data-centric infrastructure capable of supporting the explosive demand for global interconnectivity. The completed use cases followed an extensive revision process and underscore the mission of IOWN Global Forum, which is by 2030 to have developed advanced optical communication, computing, data and energy-efficiency technologies that will enable a smarter, more sustainable world.

The findings of the Cyber-Physical System (CPS) Use Case and the Artificial Intelligence-Integrated Communications (AIC) Use Case provide a roadmap that will be used by the IOWN Global Forum and its members to develop technical recommendations for a long-term feasibility study. The outcome of this intensive program will uncover new approaches to work, entertainment, education, mobility, smart cities and electric grids, healthcare management and new ways to improve social equity and data privacy.

Additions to the finalized reports include three new focus areas that are crucial to the achievement of IOWN Global Forum’s mission:

  • Smart Grid Management will contribute to a carbon-neutral society by predicting and controlling the rapid, dynamic changes in renewable energy supply and demand.
  • Mobility Management will enable the collection and processing of data from vehicles and roadside sensors, enabling navigation services with energy optimal route information which is essential to contribute to carbon neutrality.
  • Industry Management will include Process Plant Automation to address aging infrastructure, rising maintenance costs, worker safety and CO2 emission consumption.

“The world today has experienced growth faster than ever thanks to advancements in communication and computing technologies. But ever-increasing user demand and perpetual innovation threaten to tax the very infrastructure that has driven this unprecedented change,” said Katsuhiko Kawazoe, Ph.D., president and chairperson of the board, IOWN Global Forum. “At the same time, these technological advances have not served the global population equitably. With this in mind, IOWN Global Forum is committed to opening new market opportunities while safeguarding society and businesses from the unintended risks of new technologies.”

 

Cyber-Physical Systems Lay Foundation for Smart Society

Sustainability has become the touchstone for much of what the technology industry promises to deliver. The need is reflected in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the hastening adoption of corporate ESG (environmental, social and governance) measures that integrate investment strategies with social purpose and the environmental impacts of business.

In the near future, a quantum leap in communication and computing capabilities will propel the world into a new era of sustainable growth. The CPS use case details application-specific service requirements across multiple facets of society that depend on cyber-physical systems to meet those goals. These include smart buildings; smart grid management to enable carbon neutrality; remote factory operation; real-time disaster notifications; disease outbreak prediction and prevention; and event-driven security monitoring.

 

AI-Integrated Communications Reinvent How We Engage the World

The world has become smaller as technological advances have spurred new ways to connect with each other, new ways to work, new ways to enjoy entertainment and new ways to approach old problems. The communication and computing infrastructure developed over the past 30 years has made these changes possible, but the world needs another quantum technology leap to deliver the infrastructure required to continue the pace of innovation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are the key to this future, however, early efforts using current technology to create immersive experiences have met with mixed success. The AIC use case examines a spectrum of future states that will influence how we experience the world around us – from virtual concerts and interactive live sports, to cloud-based gaming and remote learning. The report also recommends new ways for how people will navigate the physical world as well as AI-based, mind-to-mind communication that can overcome differences in language and culture to foster a better understanding of perceptions and emotions.

To learn more about IOWN Global Forum, please see the white papers https://iowngf.org/white-papers/ and videos https://iowngf.org/videos/.

 

About IOWN Global  Forum

IOWN Global Forum’s objective is to accelerate innovation and adoption of a new communication infrastructure to meet our future data and computing requirements through the development of new technologies, frameworks, specifications and reference designs in areas such as photonics R&D, distributed computing, and use cases and best practices. Details on IOWN Global Forum and membership information can be found at: https://iowngf.org.