Racing to gain the edge with next-frontier 5G applications

A photo taken Oct 10, 2019, showing a logo of the upcoming mobile standard 5G in Germany. Users of 5G handsets moving out of a 5G coverage area will not experience surfing disruption as they will automatically be connected to a 4G connection with the same telco. PHOTO: REUTERS

Singapore is looking to develop next-frontier 5G applications to support its ambition to lead the global digital economy. Several projects have qualified for a grant from a $40 million fund set up by the National Research Foundation and the IMDA to accelerate this. The projects are in the following areas:

SMART MOBILITY

Real estate firm CapitaLand, map service provider Navinfo Datatech and telco TPG Telecom will be testing cloud-based driverless car navigation at Science Park 1 and and 2 over a 5G connection.

By shifting the processing of traffic data from an in-vehicle system to the cloud, it is hoped that the cost of autonomous vehicles can be reduced.

The firms will also be testing how quickly data can be obtained from numerous sources such as sensors on road infrastructure and other vehicles for navigation purposes.

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CLOUD GAMING

Gaming accessories firm Razer and telco Singtel will be testing how 5G networks should be designed in an urban environment to allow consumers to stream and play games with rich visual details using their mobile phones. The mobile connection must have minimal lag for enjoyable gameplay.

Environmental interference such as how buildings, street furniture, trees and wet weather affect gameplay will also be studied in what is the first consumer 5G application trial in Singapore.

SMART PORT

Port operator PSA International has appointed telcos Singtel and M1 to conduct trials in the third quarter of this year to explore the use of driverless vehicles to move shipping containers round the clock.

This will allow PSA to load and unload more containers and turn ships around faster.

The telcos will also set up trials for the remote control of port equipment such as cranes. The trials will pave the

way for the building of a state-of-the-art Tuas Port, expected to open from 2021 in stages, to reinforce Singapore's position as a leading port in the region.

SMART FACTORY

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*Star) Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre has signed a memorandum of understanding with Singtel and industrial estate developer JTC Corporation to integrate 5G connectivity solutions into its smart Model Factory in Jurong.

The factory is a test-bed for advanced manufacturing tools, including smart sensors for tracking the location of driverless vehicles on factory floors. The trials will also explore the use of virtual reality teaching tools for training factory operators in, say, equipment maintenance.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 18, 2019, with the headline Racing to gain the edge with next-frontier 5G applications. Subscribe