Three companies – VTT, Nokia, and Sandvik – are partnering to test 5G technology in mines, reported International Mining. The Finnish project called Next Generation Mining (NGMining) is funded by Business Finland. The initiative will bring together “industrial 5G private networks, edge computing and artificial intelligence (AI) technology-based solutions to enable digital transformation in mining.”
The NGMining initiative is a two-year project, which kicked off in May 2021. VTT will coordinate the joint R&D project, according to Sauli Eloranta, Vice President, Safe and Connected Society, VTT.
The underground testing in a harsh mining environment aims to build a proof of concept to “evaluate integrated connectivity.” Testing will include 5G spectrum usage, 5G modems, and edge computing. According to International Mining, challenges identified include understanding signal behavior in an underground environment and network design requirements to ensure underground connectivity related to bandwidth, frequency range, latency, reliability, and scalability.
“Collaboration across the ecosystem is essential for developing winning technology solutions that will meet productivity and sustainability targets and capture global market share in the growing mining business,” said Jarkko Pellikka, Director, Nokia Unlocking Industrial 5G program.
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