Another 5G test environment for Baden-Württemberg

The new mobile communications standard 5G takes into account the needs of industry for the first time. (Source: Fraunhofer IPA, Photo: Rainer Bez)

Four test environments for 5G already exist in the region. Now, another one is coming to Karlsruhe. All five are open to small and medium-sized enterprises to test the new mobile communication standard together with research institutions, as well as to develop product and business ideas that would not be possible without 5G. Applications for joint projects are now open.

5G, the fifth generation of mobile communication, considers the needs of industry for the first time. The new high-performance mobile standard enables demand-oriented networking with high bandwidth, low latency, and a high number of connections – thus laying the foundation for Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. To explore what new products and business ideas are possible with 5G, four 5G test environments are already being set up in Stuttgart, Mannheim, Reutlingen, and Freudenstadt. A fifth one is now being added in Karlsruhe.

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics, Labour and Housing has sent the corresponding funding notice of 900,000 euros to the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation IPA in Stuttgart. Scientists from the local DigITools competence center are coordinating the research project "Transfer Center 5G4KMU." Participating are also the project group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology PAMB of Fraunhofer IPA, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, the Reutlingen Center for Industry 4.0, the Center for Digitalization, Leadership, and Sustainability Schwarzwald (short: Campus Schwarzwald) in Freudenstadt – and now also the wbk Institute of Production Science of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

Five test environments, five research focuses

The researchers at KIT are now beginning to set up the new 5G test environment. Once operational, they plan to use it to explore questions around predictive maintenance of machines and the data analysis required for it through intelligent algorithms. Other research focuses include localization of operating resources, augmented reality glasses, and human-machine interaction.

Depending on their core competencies, the four existing 5G test environments emphasize different areas. For example, in Stuttgart, Fraunhofer IPA focuses on the potentials of 5G for factories and production systems, while Fraunhofer IAO deals with smart services and smart products. In Freudenstadt, the Campus Schwarzwald centers on questions related to production, with a focus on mechanical engineering and manufacturing industries. The Reutlingen Center for Industry 4.0 concentrates on logistics and information provision within companies. In Mannheim, the project group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology PAMB investigates the opportunities 5G opens for clinics and medical laboratories.

Applications for Quick Checks now open

All five test environments are open to small and medium-sized enterprises to test the new powerful mobile communication standard 5G together with research institutions. Collaboration is possible within the framework of so-called Quick Checks. During these, scientists evaluate product and business ideas submitted by the companies for their feasibility. Applications for Quick Checks are now open.

Subsequently, further cooperation can take the form of a so-called Exploring Project. In an Exploring Project, a concept is jointly developed with the companies, prototypically implemented, and tested in the 5G network of one of the five test environments. The costs for Quick Checks and Exploring Projects are financed from the funds of the Transfer Center 5G4KMU, so participating companies incur no external costs. The relevant application forms can be found on the project homepage: https://5g4kmu.de/working-together