Mobile communications continues to play an important role in modern economy, including consumer, health, education, logistics, and other major industries. Mobile communications networks of today have successfully connected a vast majority of global population. After creating the Mobile Internet, connecting billions of smart phones and laptop, the focus of mobile communications is moving towards providing ubiquitous connectivity for machines and devices, thereby creating the Internet-of-Things (IoT). With the technological advancements of today, stage is being set for the emergence of the Tactile Internet in which ultra-reliable and ultra-responsive network connectivity will enable it to deliver real-time control and physical tactile experiences remotely.
The Tactile Internet will provide a true paradigm shift from content-delivery to remote operation and skill-set delivery networks, and thereby revolutionize almost every segment of the society.
As per ITU, the Tactile Internet will add a new dimension to human-machine interaction by delivering a low latency enough to build real-time interactive systems. Further, the Tactile Internet has been described as a communication infrastructure combining low latency, very short transit time, high availability and high reliability with a high level of security. Associated with cloud computing proximity through e.g. mobile edge-clouds and combined with the virtual or augmented reality for sensory and haptic controls, the Tactile Internet addresses areas with reaction times in the order of a millisecond. To this end, 5G TACNET workshop will address the challenges in achieving an immersive physical cyber environment through integration of communications, control, networks and signal processing technologies.