Dual 5G-enabled ‘smart’ ambulances have been brought into operation by Australia’s largest ambulance services thanks to collaboration with leading out-of-hospital technology solutions provider, Corvanta. 

The vehicles are the first to be equipped with Corvanta’s new Critical Communications Hub. This next-generation technology provides a high-bandwidth Dual-5G connection to deliver new standards of connectivity, real time mapping improvements, duress capabilities, communications speed and reliability, and data transmission.  

Ambulances with Dual-5G maintain a reliable data connection, as the system switches between networks if one is unavailable. This redundancy is crucial for patient care and paramedic safety as communications are maintained throughout the entire journey. Corvanta provides additional low earth orbit satellite connections as a reliable backup in remote areas or mobile blackspots. 

High bandwidth data connectivity plays a critical role in supporting emergency services. It enables optimised routing for emergency responders, ensures quality clinical care, facilitates real-time transmission of ECGs of diagnostic quality, allows streaming of vital signs in real-time, provides 360-degree high-quality in-vehicle vision for clinical support or referral to other providers, and even allows for duress-activated real-time video of violence against first responders, thereby accelerating response times for help. 

Dual-5G capability can also enable Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication, creating ‘smart’ ambulances that can interact with vehicles, traffic management systems, and city infrastructure. By warning of an approaching ambulance, V2X improves response times, road safety, and traffic management. 

Communication and connectivity are critical to providing contemporary pre-hospital care and improving patient outcomes. This technology supports a faster, safer, more connected response by paramedic teams, ensuring seamless, secure and robust data connectivity is maintained throughout each patient’s journey. 

Corvanta Head of Research and Development, Anthony Fisher, said Corvanta is setting new standards in pre-hospital technology, enabling clinicians and first responders’ greater mobility support mechanisms by creating a more connected and intelligent emergency response vehicle. 

“Integrating our additional Vehicle to Everything (V2X) technology or even further enabling it with satellite for Dual 5G-capable ambulances, demonstrates Corvanta’s commitment to harnessing the power of innovation to drive better healthcare outcomes,” Mr Fisher said. 

“This is a key milestone in our journey towards enabling smarter, safer, and more efficient emergency medical services, we aim to improve the Paramedics workflows and enhance capabilities to improve patient outcomes. With the added capability through V2X of being able to notify other vehicles, pedestrians and even infrastructure of approaching emergency service vehicles, only adds to improving response times and therefore patient outcomes, reducing the tyranny of distance and time to critical interventions”.