The Tactile Internet: Applications and Challenges

TLDR

Wireless communications now support unprecedented multimedia exchange, and as data rates rise and latency drops to about 1 ms, tactile‑feedback control becomes feasible, fundamentally altering human interaction. The Tactile Internet will enable precise control of real and virtual objects across health care, mobility, education, manufacturing, and smart grids, driving economic growth and societal sophistication.

Abstract

Wireless communications today enables us to connect devices and people for an unprecedented exchange of multimedia and data content. The data rates of wireless communications continue to increase, mainly driven by innovation in electronics. Once the latency of communication systems becomes low enough to enable a round-trip delay from terminals through the network back to terminals of approximately 1 ms, an overlooked breakthrough?human tactile to visual feedback control?will change how humans communicate around the world. Using these controls, wireless communications can be the platform for enabling the control and direction of real and virtual objects in many situations of our life. Almost no area of the economy will be left untouched, as this new technology will change health care, mobility, education, manufacturing, smart grids, and much more. The Tactile Internet will become a driver for economic growth and innovation and will help bring a new level of sophistication to societies.