Faster traffic in the city. Better quality of life. A safer feeling. The next generation of mobile internet - 5G - is going to change The Netherlands. The technology is still under development, but it is already possible to get started. At the 5G Hub in Eindhoven.
New technologies such as 5G can increase the quality of life in Eindhoven. And increase the region's economic appeal. But which applications work best?
And how can companies use them as smartly as possible? That's what the 5G Hub focuses on. The new consortium has great ambitions for 2022.
5G Hub in Brainport Eindhoven is a collaboration between Brainport Development, High Tech Campus, Ericsson, and VodafoneZiggo. They research and test the possibilities of new technologies. And they stimulate their innovative applications. This not only concerns 5G, but also, for example, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, blockchain and photonics.
The consortium has a partnership with the Ministry of Economic Affairs: the Brainport National Agenda for Action. As a result, the solutions devised by the 5G Hub in Brainport Eindhoven for its own region can be scaled up more quickly to the rest of the Netherlands. The consortium also works together with a powerful network: an ''ecosystem'' of organizations located in Eindhoven and beyond that are happy to contribute to smart applications of new technologies.
The network ranges from politicians and administrators to researchers and entrepreneurs. Consortium member Brainport Development is the economic development company that stimulates innovation and growth in the region on behalf of the 21 municipalities in Southeast Brabant, as an example. They are behind the efforts of the 5G Hub. The same applies to the 250 companies that make up the High Tech Campus; from Philips, Daf, and ASML to promising start-ups.
The world is constantly changing, at an increasingly rapid pace. For example, by 2050, according to various forecasts, probably 80 percent of humanity will live in large cities. Changes of this kind create social issues everywhere. For instance, how do you keep society sustainable, healthy, and inclusive? The 5G Hub develops solutions for these challenges. First of all for your own region. But other regions and countries can certainly also benefit from it.
The 5G Hub has four core activities. First of all, the consortium guides companies in developing their product or service; from idea and research to profitable results. Secondly, it tests new technologies. Thirdly, it inspires companies and governments to understand and use such technologies. And finally, it builds a ''technology community'' in which parties can learn from each other quickly and effectively.
What are the ambitions for 2020?
The development of innovative business ideas into profitable products or services. This is an essential ambition of the consortium.
In addition, we continuously seek to add new partners to our network.
Each quarter we provide students opportunities to start new assignments.
We will regularly organize inspiration events in the 5G Hub, the beating heart of the region. Moreover, the consortium wants to enable companies to use multiple new technologies in the Hub for innovative products and services.
The 5G Hub is working on four ''futures'' Starting with the Future of Health, together with Philips, the GGD Brabant Zuid-Oost, and Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, among others. But also to the Future of Industry. For example, the consortium is looking at the most interesting opportunities that photonics and machine learning offer for industrial applications.
The Future of Entertainment examines, among other things, how virtual reality and augmented reality can improve the experience of culture and sports. The consortium is looking at this together with cultural podium Effenaar and football club PSV.
Finally, for the Future of Talent, the 5G Hub mainly focuses on start-ups from the Brainport region and students from various educations like Avans, Fontys, and the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). They are given plenty of space, time, feedback and guidance to further develop their innovative ideas.
New technologies like 5G can increase quality of life.
