Thammasat School of Engineering shows an advanced technology and develops “Software AIChest4All”, an AI that can screen lung cancer, tuberculosis, and lung disease. TSE upgrades the medical industry and develops “Smart Meter” that can measure and standardize real-time water management and reduce human labor use.
I believe that everyone must have heard about “5G” technology. It is one of the famous trends in the world this year because 5G will lead to a big change of economy and society in Thailand. It also affects Thai people’s lifestyle as people will enter a digital era with fast communicative and effective technology. It will revolutionize 4.0 industry and lead to transformation in all business sectors, including medical, industry, agriculture, entertainment business, and education.
5G technology that everyone in the globe is waiting for is the latest wireless technology. It connects everything together not only telecommunication systems but also the Internet of Things or IoT. However, Thailand has spent 34 years to enter 5G technology. There are 5 generations as follow:
1G – a change from landline phone to mobile phone
1G technology started in 1986. It was the era where we communicated through voice by making a call. Next, 2G technology was launched by GSM standard which Finland was the one who developed this network. It led to the prevalence of mobile phone of the world. Apart from making a call, 2G technology developed GPRS which was the function that allowed users to connect to the internet. However, the information transfer speed was still not very fast.
World without limits when 3G and 4G emerged
3G is the technology that changes the world and creates wireless communication. It is the internet era that allows us to have a wireless connection with high speed. We can watch videos, listen to music and play online games by using the internet. When Thailand enters 4G technology, users can access to more multimedia such as communicating via video conference with the HD vision and downloading movies and music rapidly.
5G technology that will change Thailand
5G technology will allow people in the world including Thai people to enter the IoT era or the era of Internet of Things. It means that everything will be connected together, including portable devices, electronic devices or cars. It is not limited to only smart phones which mean we can apply to every device that is designed to connect through the internet system. Moreover, 5G technology’s ability can replace home’s cable network because they have 20 Gbps deliver speed.
In addition, 5G arrival will enhance entertainment quality, including watching movies, listening to music and playing games with real-time speed. Users will experience VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) technology. 5G technology increases frequency range from 24-40 GHz. The performance is 99.9999% stable so users can use it safely and accurately. For example, it allows telemedicine use. Importantly, it also supports 1 million uses of the device per 1 sq.km. and the deliver speed per second is 20 times faster than 4G.
Asst.Prof.Dr.Dammeth Boonyavet, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University (TU) or TSE, reveals that among the 5G transformation in the world, Thailand has a big transformation to enhance ability in the world’s trading competition and develop human resources who have 5G technology knowledge. It is an important agent to drive the economy. Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University (TU) or TSE launches advanced courses for this digital era that cover 5 engineering courses, including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.
TSE aims to build graduates in the labor market under the concept “Engineering and Beyond”. TSE wants to build graduates to create outstanding software innovation and connecting systems for 5G technology. There are many research works and innovations that support 5G technology. The research work and innovations are the collaboration of many fields of study that want to create innovation for this transformation society. There are 4 innovations as follow:
- AI software transforms Thai medical industry
Recently, Thai medical industry is facing a lack of medical staff and medical equipment. TSE collaborates with the Department of Medical Services and Center of Excellence in Intelligent Informatics, Speech and Language Technology and Service Innovation (CILS) and develops “AIChest4All” by using AI technology to learn 200,000 radiographs of patients with chest diseases, such as tuberculosis, lung cancer, and cardiac arrhythmia.
AIChest4All software is a program that will analyze patients by identifying risks by colors, starting from dark green, light green, yellow, orange and red. The software also identifies the location where there is a problem and outputs the screening result within one minute with more than 80% accuracy. However, this software is distributed to hospitals in the country to use without fees. It complies with the smart hospital goal of the government and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission that wants to diminish inequality and increase accessibility to public health and medical services.
- IOT – Smart farming for Thai farmers
The agriculture industry is a crucial foundation of Thai economy. In order to increase competition ability in ASEAN region, agriculture must be driven by technology to enter smart farming. TSE adopts IoT and AI to be a foundation for developing an innovation “Automatic Egg Counting Machine with AI CCTV”. This innovation uses analyzing CCTV video technology to count eggs in the farm. Each day, there are many eggs in the conveyor belt so it helps reduce time to check the number of produced eggs per day. It can check the real-time amount of eggs produced by different machines in order to enhance egg farms to smart farming. Smart farm is a response to the government policy to support Thailand to overcome the income inequality problem.
- Cloud technology for water management system
In the present, we collect water usage information by human force which causes high cost and cannot collect real-time information. TSE develops water management systems through cloud systems in order to support “Smart Water Meter” innovation. Smart Water Meter is an installed device on the water meter. The sensor will measure water flow rate which allows us to know the movement of water supply in the building. We also install a switch to turn the water system on and off so we know whether people use water in the building or not. We can control the operation through “Smart Water Meter” to enter the website and output the real-time information on the website. It also supports the 2600 MHz spectrum of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission which can apply to smart city plans in various areas.
- 3D Model for the conservation of ancient sites.
Ancient sites are precious architecture that is primitive and more than 100 years old. Restoration requires the study of the original ancient sites in order to restore the architecture and arts to the original form. TSE works with a research project “Conservation of Ancient Sites Structure followed Engineering Principles” held by The Thailand Research Fund (TRF) at Ayutthaya province. The project aims to compile deep information, accurately evaluate the damage of ancient sites, and plan to restore the sites immediately. TSE works in the second research project by the observation of visual elements and creating 3D model and dynamic behavior survey to create 3D model. All in all, the purpose is to upgrade the area to a tourist site and cultural learning site in order to create an image to be a cultural-learning tourist place. Restoration of the ancient sites of the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture is a part of smart government which is an important element for a smart city.
- TSE innovates to support 5G technology
When the world enters 5G era, there are 3 forms of communication in the following:
- Enhanced Mobile Broadband:eMBB
It increases the amount of data transmission and reduces time usage. TSE has developed “AIChest4All” in a telemedicine service in order to improve medical communication and result of the analysis to be faster.
- Ultra-reliable and low latency communications: URLLC
It creates a real-time data transmission in order to be used in high accuracy systems such as remote medical surgery and connected cars. TSE sees the importance of restoration of ancient site structure and VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) tourism.
- Massive machine-type communications: mMTC
It improves the connection of devices to the system such as IoT devices and 4.0industry censor. TSE plans to do research and develop a smart meter. TSE plans to develop an automatic pressure system management in large piped water systems such as measuring water usage in an interested area. Moreover, TSE wants to develop an ancient site conservation project to censor systems measuring various factors in ancient sites such as vibration and humidity.
5G technology is a new wave that brings change in all dimensions.
The technology can be applied in many purposes, for example, the industry sector can use AI in the production process to cope with labor shortages in the future and the agriculture sector can use IoT to increase agriculture product’s production. It leads to a smart life of Thai