As part of a three-year research project between 2019 and 2022, m3connect worked in collaboration with three partner companies from Bavaria and supported by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy to explore the applications of an intelligent factory in the logistics sector. Within this project, cooperation with BMW AG involved conducting tests on a novel sorting robot in the field of innovation logistics. The goal was to connect the robot’s sensors and control hardware to a remote computing unit via a private 5G mobile network. The analysis of sensor data and the computation of resulting actions were shifted from the robot to the edge and the cloud.

“When computing occurs in the edge or cloud infrastructure, connected via 5G, our partners can drive faster development cycles. It’s no longer necessary to update hardware directly on the robot in order to test new software elements. Different development phases can be tested immediately and in parallel within the virtual environments of the data centers,” says Justin Eichenlaub, Head of Cellular Solutions at m3connect.

Most of the various sensors and actuators, such as robot controllers or laser scanners, were integrated into the 5G network after a short period. Only the 3D camera, which provides additional depth information, was connected via a proprietary service designed for processing in local networks. Eventually, with the help of a network tunnel environment provided by m3connect, this hardware was also connected via the 5G network.

m3connect’s mobile 5G system is extremely compact and ideally suited for developing and testing innovative concepts around private mobile networks at customers’ and partners’ sites. It can be transported in a conventional carry-on suitcase and set up for operation within just a few minutes.

5G in a trolley

© m3connect

 

About m3connect:

From Wi-Fi pioneer to market leader. Since 2001, m3connect has evolved into one of the largest wireless service providers in Europe, with offices in Aachen, Karlsruhe, Munich, San Francisco, Sibenik (Croatia), and the United Arab Emirates. Globally, m3connect serves roughly 13,000 locations for its customers in over 23 countries and, as a visionary in cloud technologies for more than 20 years, continues to expand its in-house platform. As a technology leader, m3connect provides wireless, best-in-class internet connectivity with flexible design. Utilizing state-of-the-art technologies like WLAN, private LTE, and 5G, m3connect creates innovative software solutions such as SD-WAN and various digital applications. Its range of services includes digital signage, guest infotainment systems, VoIP, VoD, and location-based services. m3connect is also a platform developer and integrates its solutions into the existing processes of its customers.

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Pressekontakt m3connect
Emina Iljazovic
Marketing & Communications Manager
m3connect GmbH
Pascalstraße 18
52064 Aachen
E-Mail e.iljazovic@m3connect.de