Today, Nokia and Bosch unveiled their new 5G-based precision positioning technology, designed for the modern Industry 4.0. Trials of the concept were run in a Bosch factory in Germany, with results showing an accuracy of 50 cm in 90% of the factory’s area.
Tracking Mobile Devices in Private 5G Networks
Nokia and Bosch have developed a system to accurately track the position of mobile devices, such as AGVs and mobile robots, using a private 5G network.
This technology, which works even in areas without global navigation satellite service coverage, like factories and warehouses, uses time-delay and angle-of-arrival information from multiple receive antennas to determine the exact position of mobile devices.
This proof-of-concept has achieved a level of accuracy unrivaled by current cellular positioning, and it’s a glimpse into the capabilities of future 5G public and private networks.
Nokia and Bosch: Pioneers in Positioning Technology
Nokia recently expanded its production of PON optical line terminals in India, emphasizing its importance in industrial environments for robot navigation, asset tracking and worker safety.
This innovative technology delivers high-performance connectivity and high-accuracy positioning within a single network infrastructure, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and higher returns on investments.
Nokia and Bosch have been collaborating since 2017 to develop industrial IoT and sensing solutions, and their recent announcement of precise positioning technology marks another milestone in their journey. Going further, the two companies are researching how future 6G networks can be used for both communications and sensing when they become available by the end of the decade.
The next-generation of networks, 6G, will be able to track the position of any object, regardless of whether it is connected or not. This will enable the 6G signals to work like radar, giving users a heightened awareness of their environment.
Nokia & Bosch to Showcase Network Potential at MWC 2023
Nokia and Bosch are set to reveal the remarkable power of networks at Mobile World Congress 2023, taking place in Barcelona from February 27 to March 2.
Speaking on the announcement, Andreas Mueller, Chief Expert and responsible for the 6G activities at Bosch, said:
Knowing where things are is generally very valuable information in manufacturing. While today usually separate systems are used for connecting and locating devices, this may be done via an integrated private 5G solution in the future. The proof-of-concept conducted jointly with Nokia underpins the leading role of Bosch in exploring new opportunities for our customers and developing the Factory of the Future.
Commenting on the partnership, Peter Vetter, President of Bell Labs Core Research at Nokia, said:
Bosch and Nokia Bell Labs foresee a future where networks do far more than communicate. Soon, 5G will track connected devices more precisely than satellites, in places satellites can’t reach. In the next decade, 6G will be capable of sensing all objects in their coverage areas regardless of whether they contain active radios. We are creating networks that will endow humans with a digital 6th sense.