SK Telecom (SKT) teamed with Yonsei University Health System to develop and deploy specialised services using 5G, AI and IoT at a new hospital scheduled to open in February 2020.

Park Jung-ho, SKT president and CEO (pictured, left), and Yoon Do-heum, president and CEO of the Yonsei University Health System (pictured, right) signed an MoU covering delivery of a “5G-powered digital hospital”.

In a statement, the operator explained the hospital will be equipped with its AI speaker to enable patients with physical difficulties to control their beds, lighting and TVs via voice.

Yongin Severance Hospital will also offer patients and visitors an AR-based navigation service using indoor positioning and 3D mapping technologies. It will also use facial recognition technology to deliver a new access control system, which SKT said will improve security.

The operator also plans to develop a hologram platform for patients in isolation wards to allow them to meet with visitors virtually.

Yonsei University Health System plans to deploy the enhanced services to all its hospitals in future.

SKT separately announced the signing of an MoU with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority to build 5G-based self-driving infrastructure and provide support for ICT start-ups, to advance smart city innovation in the zone.