This month in technology: Huawei’s UK 5G involvement under threat and the tech fighting Coronavirus

Huawei’s UK 5G partnership survives government vote

Boris Johnson survived a rebel vote within his own party that would have brought an end to Huawei’s involvement with the UK’s 5G network at the end of 2022.

The amendment to the Telecommunications Infrastructure bill was tabled by eight Conservative MPs, including former Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, and would have seen Huawei’s 5G influence end on 31 December 2022.

The government defeated the motion by 24 votes, thanks largely in part to Johnson’s large Commons majority secured in December 2019’s General Election.

The use of Huawei technology in the UK’s 5G network was signed off earlier this year and caps the Chinese firm’s market share at 35%.

Critics say that Huawei is an arm of the Chinese state and is a risk to the UK’s security operations.

In the Commons, Smith criticised the use of Huawei’s technology and the government’s choice to allow the partnership to go ahead.

He said: [We are] genuinely concerned that this country has got itself far too bound into a process in which we are reliant on untrusted vendors.

“[The use of Huawei technology is a] statement of absence of thought by any government. If defence of the realm is our number one priority, then this becomes demi-defence of the realm, and I am simply not prepared to put up with that.”

Oral-B unveils Bluetooth-enabled ‘smart’ toothbrush

Oral-B’s new iO digital toothbrush will keep track of users’ daily dental hygiene and toothbrush usage via an app, reports Mobile Marketing.

Via Bluetooth, the toothbrush links to the app and provides a 3D graphic of the user’s mouth. By using 3D tracking technology and AI, the toothbrush tracks and records the brushing period and can alert users to neglected areas of the mouth.

The toothbrush also boasts an interactive display, pressure sensor and visual timer.

Steve Bishop, P&G CEO, said: “[This is] the result of years of expert development, Oral-B iO strikes the right balance between effectiveness and experience and reimagines how a brush performs, cleans and feels.”

Phillip Hundeshagen, P&G R&D, added: “It is an innovative brushing technology with a truly sensorial experience that users will feel, hear and see, transforming the act of brushing teeth.”

Tech’s battle against coronavirus

Coronavirus continues to spread across the globe at an alarming rate, but the Chinese technology sector is ramping up its efforts to curb the outbreak.

The BBC reported that robots and drones are being deployed to support the healthcare professionals in their battle against the disease.

Pudu Technology, which usually makes robots for the catering industry, has launched its products in hospitals across China to provide non-human contact to patients such as delivering meals or medication while MicroMultiCoptor is utilising drones to transport medical samples and conduct thermal imaging.

AI is also being widely used to try to combat the outbreak with SenseTime having deployed contactless temperature detection software in train stations and schools across major Chinese cities.

It has been reported in Chengdu that officials are equipped with smart helmets that can measure the temperature of members of the public within five metres and will be alerted if they are found to have a fever.

Chengdu city, Sichuan Province, has armed #COVID19 epidemic control personnel with a high-tech smart helmet that can automatically measure passengers-by temperature when they enter a 5-meter range. The helmet will ring an alarm if anyone has a fever. pic.twitter.com/t56hpBwHVJ

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) March 3, 2020

BT Sport and Scottish Rugby launch VR experience

Through BT Sport and Scottish Rugby’s partnership, the pair have developed a VR experience that puts fans in the heart of a Scottish Rugby training session.

As reported by The Herald, fans, while wearing a VR headset, headphones and a haptic suit, can experience the inner mechanisms of the team’s training sessions and get even closer to the action.

While the initial development of this product was focused on fan engagement, both BT and Scottish Rugby have since mulled over how the technology could be used to enhance player performance.

Scottish Rugby’s lead performance analyst Gavin Vaughan said that access to this unique technology could enhance Scottish Rugby.

He said: “This VR technology has given us a totally different perspective on how we train and how quickly the picture changes when you’re in the moment.

“I think, long-term, this has the potential to really change things coaching-wise and I really think this could enhance things massively.”

Matt Stevenson, BT head of brand, added: “We’ve been involved with Scottish Rugby for the last four or five years and we wanted to help in the performance of the game. We’ve worked closely with them to see what technology can do with coaching and analytics.”

EU unveils Circular Economy Action Plan

The EU has announced its new Circular Economy Action Plan which aims to improve the longevity and lifecycle of products as part of the European Green Deal, the EU’s roadmap to climate neutrality.

Under the remit of this new plan, a Circular Electronics Initiative will be launched to promote longer product lifetimes via reusability and repairability.

The EU will also push for the technology sector to allow for devices to be fitted with enhanced upgradability in terms of components and software to avoid obsolescence.

The body also has plans to introduce a universal charger for mobile phones and other electronic devices to reduce waste.

The Action Plan also focuses on sectors such as plastic usage, textiles, and the food industry to help engage a drive towards a more sustainable planet.

Frans Timmermans, EVP of the European Green Deal, said: “To achieve climate-neutrality by 2050 requires a fully circular economy. Today, our economy is still mostly linear, with only 12% of secondary materials and resources being brought back into the economy.

“Many products break down too easily, cannot be reused, repaired or recycled, or are made for single use only. There is a huge potential to be exploited both for businesses and consumers.”