Digital technology is a key theme of the UN's Summit of the Future. At UNGSC, in partnership with the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology, we work to adapt new technologies to the UN’s operational needs. To explore developments on the horizon, we invited Info-Tech “Technology Trends” researcher Brian Jackson, to share his views:
"From enhancing real-time situational awareness, to facilitating remote communications and on-site acute healthcare, three key emerging technologies could play a crucial role in the future of peace operations:
1) Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors
Subterranean warfare dates back millennia, however the technology to detect threats or conduct rescue operations underground has dramatically evolved: MEMS sensors deployable by hand or drone, with the ability to detect minute variances in gravity, allow for improved situational awareness. MEMS-based devices can also be more than sensors; MEMS-based speakers could be incorporated into combat helmets, extended reality headsets, or in-ear wires, delivering clear communications, while standing up to the rigors conflict zones.
2) Satellite internet, 6G cellular communications:
The UN delivers peace operations worldwide, including in areas lacking communications infrastructure. UNGSC deploys Mobile Command Centres in field missions to fill that gap. In the future, these modular centres will tap into satellite internet and 6G cellular to provide even more resilient and agile communications.
3) Remote healthcare and biometric sensors
Remote telesurgery using robotics is continuing to evolve. With 5G wireless technology, teleoperated surgical robots gain a wider reach. This has piqued the interest of militaries around the world, enabling crucial surgical procedures to troops on the battlefield. UN peacekeeping operations could similarly benefit from such capability. Biometric-monitoring wearables and diagnostic tools in a mobile unit could also advance peacekeeper-focused healthcare.
Tapping these emerging technologies can improve the safety and performance of peacekeepers, amid the challenges of the future."
Views expressed are of the author and are not an endorsement by the UN. Read the full in article in our 30th anniversary publication Of Service: Stories of Solutions and Impact 1994-2024 (p.23).
