IEEE ISTAS 2021 - Digital and Societal Transformations

After a brief introduction of the ISTAS 2022 conference themes, moderator T V Gopal called on the first speaker, Lennon Yao-Chung Chang, who spoke of cybercrime in the era of 5G wireless technologies. Defining current types of 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, Chang discussed the potential benefits of smart cars, smart fridges and smart toilets. Gopal then introduced speaker Laurie Lau, whose talk explored the possibilities of 5G and even ‘6G’ technologies. T V Ramachandran then spoke to India’s approach to 5G development as an emerging nation. He attributed India’s rapid switch to 5G as coinciding with the urgent need for augmentation of social services, such as healthcare. Finally, Luis Kun's remarks addressed the need for integration of digital healthcare and a humanitarian philosophy of technology. Kun discussed the lack of a holistic vision in current iterations of global healthcare. With the existence of “islands of excellence,” information is not shared globally, locally or even between agencies due to privacy concerns. Following the presentations, Gopal facilitated further discussion that made it clear 5G technologies and digitally integrated healthcare will be top of mind at ISTAS 2022, as well as a broader conversation about technology as a "change agent" for social transformation rather than another opiate.