Private Wireless Networks Enable Remote Industrial Work and Instant Immersive Experiences
Private wireless networks and edge computing are foundational technologies in the ongoing Industry 4.0 and Industrial Metaverse transformation. They are creating radically new opportunities for safer, more productive, and more sustainable industrial operations. The benefits of a reliable, low-latency network and local data processing enable next-generation solutions in several areas, such as remote operations, predictive maintenance, real-time quality control, robotics and AGVs, training, and safety.
At the FIIF Event titled ‘Private Wireless Networks and Edge Computing as Enablers for Industrial Digitalization,’ Marko Lepola, Business Lead at Telia Industrial Solutions, introduced private network use cases with Finnish industrial customers. The company’s experience indicates that all industrial customers are pondering the same topics, and they seem to be on a similar journey.
One notable development is that private networks will be part of the solution in enabling remote work in an industrial context, which will soon become a reality. As Lepola put it, a fancier term for remote work in this case is the industrial metaverse.
Daniel Pakkala, Principal Scientist at VTT, presented research and learnings on applying 5G and edge computing for underground mining automation (NGMining project).
Kirsi Leppä, Head of Industrial Applications, Campus Edge Solutions at Nokia, noted that industrial plants are mainly brownfield campuses with complex connectivity and compute environments. Nokia’s solution is to have one platform for industrial digitalization – private wireless, edge, apps, cloud, and Solution-aaS. She pointed out that Industry 4.0 intelligent solutions always start with structured, contextual OT (operational technology) data.
Toni Kairavuo, Head of Product Development at Nokia, presented RXRM – real-time extended reality multimedia – with a demonstration of the application. Despite growing interest in the media and entertainment sector, the industry is currently the main target for these solutions.
RXRM offers 360 video and 3D spatial audio delivered with near-zero latency for new and existing use cases in industrial, entertainment, and commercial areas. Key benefits include enhanced high-quality real-time situational awareness to improve operational efficiency, employee safety, and productivity; a multi-screen user experience, including an immersive HMD solution and mobile capability; and constant video streaming over wireless connectivity, even when cameras move between cells.
