Anritsu and InterDigital have combined on a new smart factory demo to showcase the “feasibility and readiness” of carrier-led 5G and multi-access edge compute (MEC) for Industry 4.0 use cases.
The setup, to be streamed as part of Anritsu’s virtual activity at Mobile World Congress later this month, shows “near-real time” remote control of factory-side devices based on “instantaneous” analytics and decision-making at the mobile network edge.
The solution uses multiple slices of a simulated standalone (SA) mode 5G NR network, and leverages an edge platform integrated within the 5G network itself to enable ast computing and lower transport latency between the network and applications.
The pair reckons the demo establishes a “benchmark of high performance” and paves the way for further advancements. The showcase will be available here, with registration, from June 28.
Japanese network test company Anritsu is using its Rapid Test Designer (RTD) solution, an integrated test environment for sundry cellular tech, and MT8000A radio test station to ape a real-world 5G setup; US mobile development company InterDigital is offering its Intelligent Edge solution for smart factories into the bargain.
“The demonstration proves the benefit of network slicing and MEC for new business models and industry innovations,” they said in a statement.
Henry Tirri, chief technology officer at InterDigital, said: “We are pleased to work alongside Anritsu to reveal new use cases and industry opportunities for 5G network slicing and MEC. This demonstration helps outline the readiness of 5G and edge to support Industry 4.0 use cases and the potential for further advancements.”
Jonathan Borrill, head of global market technology at Anritsu, said the collaboration will help industry to “visualize the true potential of emerging technologies like network slicing for real world applications.”
