STFC Daresbury Laboratory just outside Liverpool will support and accelerate innovation in state-of-the-art 5G
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has announced the first seven businesses that will be part of the 5G ‘ecosystem’ at its Daresbury Laboratory. There, they will investigate ways to use 5G technology to transform industries and deliver benefits to the whole of society, from supporting the NHS to mapping accessible routes for people with disabilities.
Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev / Unsplash
The 5G ecosystem at Daresbury Laboratory has received £2.2m from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) alone. Indeed, more than £500m has been invested in the wider Sci-Tech Daresbury initiative in the Liverpool City Region over the past five years. It promises a significant return on investment: the UK Telecommunications Sector 2024 report published by Imperial suggests that 5G tech could contributed some £173bn to the UK economy by 2035.
5G offers fast connectivity but its speed, reliability and capacity make it a transformative technology, with the potential to drive innovation, boost productivity and revolutionise industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing. The 5G ecosystem at Daresbury Laboratory will enable businesses to explore that potential by developing and testing next-generation 5G apps, without risk and in a real-world setting.
The 5G Ecosystem at Daresbury Laboratory is the first of its kind in the UK, offering a full suite of 5G technologies. There, businesses can integrate 5G connectivity with other tech such as 3D printing, virtual and augmented reality as well as high-performance computing. That will enable them to rapidly prototype, streamline the develop new products and services, while reducing both costs and time to market
The ecosystem’s ‘Living Lab’ will enable them to simulate complex scenarios and process vast amounts of data, in turn accelerating development and opening up new commercial opportunities. They’ll also have access to STFC’s Hartree Centre, the UK’s largest supercomputing facility dedicated to supporting industry.
The seven businesses that have joined the 5G ecosystem at this initial stage are:
- AllGreen Energy, which will use 5G to optimise energy consumption in commercial buildings
- Dynamic Devices Ltd, which is developing an interactive 5G-powered AR onboarding system
- Inovus Ltd, which is integrating 5G into its ‘Sim Station’ for NHS hospitals to enable seamless cloud-based storage and real-time surgical feedback
- Sustainable Smart Technologies Ltd, which is working to demonstrate how WiFi devices and low-power sensors can be integrated into 5G networks to reduce tech waste and boost industrial efficiency
- Proaptus Ltd, which is working to develop AI-powered railway monitoring system using drones and fibre-optic sensors for real-time issue detection
- Render Nation Ltd, which is creating a 5G-enabled multi-user VR training environment for hazardous workplaces
- Mvine Ltd, which is developing a 5G-powered wayfinding app to improve accessibility for disabled visitors
Jordan Van Flute, Chief Technology Officer at Inovus Medical, says: ‘We are thrilled to bring 5G technology into hospital settings, ensuring that surgeons can access our training products seamlessly as they advance their skills, free from network limitations.’
Paul Vernon, Head of STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory, adds: ‘From healthcare and defence to entertainment and infrastructure, the adoption of 5G across UK industry is critical to supporting the country’s economic growth. The new 5G Ecosystem here at Daresbury Laboratory sets out to provide a valuable and unique environment where businesses and organisations can unlock the potential of 5G technologies, driving productivity, efficiency and growth across multiple sectors.
‘I am excited to welcome these pioneering businesses to the 5G Ecosystem, where we have world class technologies and the expertise to support them. Going forward, this facility will become a valuable resource for businesses to discover and unlock the full potential of 5G and the advantages it can bring.’
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