5G VIIMA project
5G VIIMA focused pushing 5G technology forward to address the critical requirements for wireless infrastructure coming from factory and campus network industries. It also put gradually emerging 5G technology into true acid testing in a real industry environment and with real industry use cases.
Industry 4.0 relevant 5G technologies were investigated and wireless industrial services experiments were run indoors and outdoors. Project included practical experiments inside a factory, in a controlled semi-open outdoor/indoor industry campus and with energy grids in four different locations in three cities (Tampere, Espoo, Oulu) according to picture below. Business environment for trial sites was analysed and discovered business model alternatives published. Business Finland funded project during 2019-2021.
Key Focus areas
Industry 4.0 relevant 5G technologies
Use cases cover the following network-relevant capabilities
- Mobile (5G) network and device technology for industry use covering network reliability, 5G network products and end-user devices. Enablers for wireless industry ethernet.Practical requirements are absorbed from used trial-sites (factory, campus, smart-grid).
- Technology for sensing surrounding environment and environmental data in outdoor conditions
- Interoperability of closed/local 5G network and commercial wide-area 4G-network for products and people entering and leaving the target environment.
- Network quality monitoring tools
- Business models, technological and economical challenges
Wireless industry services
In addition to new 5G and beyond new network and user terminal assets the following industry assets are investigated and experimented:
- Smart Energy Grids
- M2H communication.Smooth human interaction with machines
- Advanced video analytics and video-based services for industry
- Tele and Remote presence: actions. guidance, operations, remotely controlled industry machines
- Autonomous vehicles.Self-navigation in a controlled but changing environment
- Smart products.Sensors/other intelligence integrated to manufactured products.
Practical experiments
This project provides Finnish industry and academic partners initial practical feedback how 5G technology can serve as a wireless industry solution: What are the practical alternatives today and what is the foreseen technology during upcoming years. Another remarkable result is raising from scouting and practical experimentation/trialing value-adding industry applications which are expected to improve the productivity in the manufacturing, and help digitalizing campus services. Digitization aims to build the basis for process analytics and transparency from warehousing to distribution, smooth people and material flow thus benefiting the whole industry community.
Business Environment analysis
The project analyzes business environment around the use of 5G in the industry vertical including emerging local and often private 5G networks tailored for specific needs. The project identifies new business opportunities for different stakeholders in the emerging ecosystems around the trial sites for which new value network configurations, business models and detailed techno-economic analyses are developed. Related regulations are also investigated.
