‘Speed of Thought’ documentary highlights first wave of 5G visionaries

NEW YORK, NY (September 15, 2020) -- “Speed of Thought” a documentary directed by Emmy-Award winning documentarian, Mila Aung-Thwin, explores how Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband will improve how we live, work and play. The film gives viewers an inside look at how visionaries are using advanced connectivity to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges and working on solutions that put humanity at the center of this next chapter of innovation.

From a robotic medical device that could enable doctors to perform minimally invasive heart interventions on patients thousands of miles away, to a mask that could someday allow firefighters to see through smoke, and an augmented reality learning experience that immerses students in the history of civil rights, each story within the film focuses on passionate creators exploring ways 5G will make us smarter, safer, and more compassionate.

“Consumers have a lot of questions about what 5G is and the impact it will have,” said Diego Scotti, Chief Marketing Officer, Verizon. “The truth is, 5G is going to change everything. Using this type of longform content as an educational tool gives ‘Speed of Thought’ a critical role in helping consumers understand 5G and its societal impact.”

The documentary will premiere today at TechCrunch Disrupt to an audience of entrepreneurs and tech leaders who are shaping the future of business and disruptive technology. The film will be available September 16 on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock and Fios on Demand.

“We are sitting on the cusp of the next industrial revolution and have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to completely reimagine our future,” said Tami Erwin, CEO, Verizon Business. “The innovators featured within ‘Speed of Thought’ are forging the way for life saving technology and societal advancement. There’s never been a more important time in the history of our world to innovate and build a future that’s more safe, inclusive and accessible to all.”

Saving lives in a heartbeat

Doug Teany, Chief Operating Officer at Corindus, and Dr. Ryan Madder, Interventional Cardiologist at Spectrum Health, demonstrate how Corindus’ robotic device could harness the low latency of 5G Ultra Wideband to enable a doctor to perform a robotic-assisted vascular intervention from thousands of miles away. Together, they perform the first-ever cross-country simulated telerobotic procedure in an attempt to show that the technology works and can increase access to care and reduce time to treatment for patients.

Cing-THRU smoke

Dr. John Long, Cofounder and Chief Technology Officer at Qwake Technologies is trying to solve a problem that firefighters have faced for hundreds of years: seeing through the smoke. He’s working to create the C-THRU Mask, which he hopes will someday use augmented reality on a 5G UWB connection to allow firefighters to navigate through zero visibility conditions. The mask could also someday allow for AR video capture to be sent back to a command center, ultimately making firefighters more safe and situationally aware.

Immersive learning

Glenn Cantave, Founder and CEO, and Idris Brewster, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Movers & Shakers NYC are using immersive technology to share the stories of underrepresented communities. They are launching an augmented reality app enabled by 5G Ultra Wideband to connect students from marginalized communities with their cultural histories.

Smarter communities

Natasha Greer, IT Project Manager for the City of Sacramento is a believer that cutting edge technology will build a better future for the citizens of Sacramento. She’s currently launching a test program that uses 5G Ultra Wideband-connected cameras to collect data and adjust traffic flow in hopes to bring the rate of pedestrian accidents down to zero by 2027. Verizon engineer Derek Ohlar is a 5G expert, and is working with the University of Michigan to test a technology that uses 5G Ultra Wideband-connected cameras to help cars detect pedestrians in intersections and avoid collisions.

These innovators are working toward a more safe and connected world using Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband. In addition to watching 5G in action, “Speed of Thought” provides a brief history of wireless connectivity, as well as the importance of low latency and the role it plays in the success of next generation technologies.

For more information, visit SpeedofThoughtFilm.com