5G Hub Big #tbt2022

5G Hub Big #tbt2022

It’s that time of the year again: everyone takes a moment to reflect on what has been done and project what they expect for the new year (aka OMG, it’s December already! How did we get here?!). Well, 2023 is just around the corner, and the 5G Hub is proud to have many accomplishments to celebrate. We had quite a busy year, with many visitors, fantastic new projects, successful events, and many stories to tell. Join us in reviewing some of those milestones.

Where knowledgeable people get together

We started 2022 with an insightful interview with VodafoneZiggo’s Mobile Networks Director André Beijen, talking about the 5G rollout in the Netherlands, the need for new talent in the telco sector, and other important topics such as sustainability. Patrick Blankers, Ericsson’s Sustainability Program Manager, gave us a brilliant and hopeful message on how 5G can help reduce carbon emissions, thanks to its much higher energy efficiency and the sustainable use cases that can be developed thanks to the technology. The 5G Hub is especially proud of the Computable Awards nomination for our Program Manager Iris Hertsenberg in the category RightBrains Digital Talent.

Patrick Blankers at COP27.

From idea to realization: projects

5G has several unique capabilities that show it’s not only a faster 4G but truly the new generation of mobile technologies. However, network slicing was really the highlight. Kicking off our year of outstanding projects, the Brainport Experience Box at the PSV Stadium provides 13 luxurious seats equipped with tablets where guests can see exclusive information about the match, such as VAR moments, player performances, and statistics in real-time.

Also in the entertainment sector, Ericsson and VodafoneZiggo, as the 5G Hub, partnered up with the municipality of Nijmegen, Fieldlab, and Gigtech to test new special cameras that might help prevent disruptions in large events. The pilot was at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in Goffertpark, packed with thousands of fans. Big groups of people always represent a logistical challenge—also in terms of network capacity. However, the guaranteed bandwidth provided by a dedicated slice allowed instant analysis of live images from mobile cameras at all points of the park. This real-time information enables authorities to divert heavy traffic streams and prevent unmanageable crowds.

As one of our main pillars, the future of healthcare was also in discussion. The 5G Hub hosted a fruitful session with General Practitioners from the region to discuss remote healthcare and AR virtual training. The huisarten were excited to learn how new technologies might help them perform their work even better. Our partners from Philips showcased a piece of 5G-powered portable ultrasound equipment modified to work on PCs and smartphones. It can send real-time data on patients no matter where they are located, thanks to a mission-critical exclusive network slice. This way, specialists can quickly decide what kind of procedure should be given to each specific case.

Thinking about the future of talent, the 5G Hub became one of the partners in an extraordinary project: BAIKE—Brainport AI Kids Education. Our colleague Edwin Dijkstra was the host for several workshops tailored for groups 7 and 8, explaining how telecommunications change lives and a bit of the future of mobile networks. The children could also experience VR demos and the Race Car.

BAIKE session at the 5G Hub.

Events

Summer 2022 was hectic, and it started with a refreshing renovation in the 5G Hub: new demos, more working spaces, and the installation of acoustic and thermic panels—which cooled down the space without the need for air-conditioning—were much welcome novelties in the Hub.

SPOT The Robot Dog during the Open Doors Day.

In June, the Open Doors Day was an astounding success where we showed the power of our ecosystem. From drones to robot dogs and much more, several partners brought their projects to the 5G Hub and enchanted visitors of all generations.

Our biggest event of the year, the final round of the 5G Hub Innovation Challenge, was also a triumph. Six notable start-ups took over the stage at the High Tech Campus Conference Center and pitched their 5G-powered ideas for a more sustainable society. The great winner, TechBinder, got a tailor-made co-creation program at the 5G Hub with guidance and support from our ecosystem. Connect2 took home the Audience Choice Award and won a consultancy session with our partners from Strict.

Contestants and jury members of the 5G Hub Innovation Challenge.

To wrap up the year, we joined High Tech Next with our most celebrated demo: the Race Car, a partnership with Soliton Systems. During the event, several attendees had a chance to test the car and experience the benefits of ultra-low latency for remote driving.

High Tech Next at the High Tech Campus Conference Center.

And now?

Of course, we’ll leave a cliffhanger here and keep you curious to discover what we already have in mind (and spreadsheets) for 2023. One piece of advice: don’t miss out!

The 5G Hub Team wishes everyone very happy holidays and a bright new year! We’ll see you then!