Ep 50 - Shaping Technologies of National Importance – Part 3: Emergency Response

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, or PNNL, conducts research focused on a variety of emergency response initiatives. Powered by 5G, the lab has been testing and implementing new technologies that can be used in natural disasters, mass casualty events, and other crises.Vital Tag technology, one of the latest innovations, will be helping to set first responders up for success in emergency care. For example, connected ambulances will offer applications of new, low-cost sensors that will help enhance overall emergency response. In addition, 5G applications can also work in hospital environments, providing healthcare workers with critical information about inbound patients in real-time. However, challenges do exist in implementing this technology, such as 5G not reaching more rural areas.These were the key themes in the third part of our 5G & Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: Shaping Technologies of National Importance” podcast on Emergency Response, where Grant Tietje, Senior Program Manager at PNNL, and Cathy Lester, Business Development for 5G Innovation at Verizon, discussed this topic further.