Evidencing the fifth generation
Master thesis
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Date
2020-06Metadata
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- Design [217]
Description
In most developed countries, internet connectivity can be compared to infrastructure like water, electricity and sewage; it’s a foundation for a big part of our modern lives, and we usually only consider it when it’s missing.
As new technology, devices and applications evolves, our society evolves with it. One of the enablers for these technologies is the fifth generation of mobile connectivity, 5G. In this project, we explore the fifth generation of mobile connectivity
and its use cases. Through our research we learn that although the potential for consumer-oriented applications and services appear big, the examples and use cases that exist are limited in terms of addressing societal impact and repercussions. This leads us to turn our focus towards the consumer side of 5G and use design as a tool for exploring future opportunities and challenges tied to technology, with 5G serving as a narrative and framework. Based on our research we create a set of “what if’s” and design a collection of artifacts, addressing different aspects tied to the technology in a more speculative manner. However, while speculative design often deals in future technologies, we investigate how a technology that is already here can impact our society in the near future. We use these artifacts to reflect on implications and consequences in three layers; personal, societal and governmental. Through this project, we want to contribute to the discussion about our role as designers, and why we should consider the impact of our solutions.