SoftBank Corp. (hereafter, SoftBank) and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (hereafter, Sumitomo Electric) will start collaborating to realize a smart factory using the 5th generation mobile communication system (5G).
Along with this, Sumitomo Electric plans to provide industrial 5G terminals under development in 2024 in order to support “Private 5G”, a 5G managed service for enterprises launched by SoftBank on March 29, 2023. Digital Transformation (DX) of Production Utilizing video compression and analysis solutions that utilize artificial intelligence (AI), Sumitomo Electric’s proprietary technology, to promote the revitalization of production sites. We will promote initiatives to improve the productivity of factories that include the Sumitomo Electric Group.
About SoftBank’s “Private 5G” SoftBank’s private 5G is a service that provides a 5G network customized to meet the various needs of companies and local governments. First, private 5G (shared) will be delivered using public 5G facilities and frequencies. Private 5G (shared type) uses network slicing1, a feature of 5G standalone (5G SA) commercial networks, to allocate optimal network resources according to customer usage. In cooperation with SoftBank’s closed connection service, high-quality and secure communication is realized. SoftBank will start offering private 5G (dedicated type) by the end of fiscal 2023. Private 5G (dedicated type) provides an advanced private network environment by installing dedicated base stations and equipment on the customer’s premises.
About Sumitomo Electric’s industrial 5G terminals
Industrial 5G terminals manufactured by Sumitomo Electric are equipped with interfaces for connecting with various sensors, equipment, and cameras in the factory. It also supports 5G millimeter waves. Dustproof and waterproof equipment that can be used in harsh environmental conditions such as factories and outdoors. In addition, a container-based virtualization 2 platform is used for edge processing, making it easy to install and implement applications developed with an operating system (OS) different from that of 5G terminals. SoftBank’s private 5G will enable the first commercial deployment of Sumitomo Electric’s industrial services. 5G terminal.
Demonstration to date and future development
Since 2019, SoftBank and Sumitomo Electric have been conducting joint demonstrations aimed at realizing a 5G-based smart factory. . The ultra-high-definition video is compressed by AVP (AI Based Video Processing)4, Sumitomo Electric’s proprietary video compression technology, sent to a cloud server via SoftBank’s 5G network, and AI-based video analysis is performed. was broken. By adopting AVP, the amount of data is reduced by 88% compared to conventional compression methods, realizing efficient video transmission. Conventionally, remote workers could not be detected due to the small image size. The accuracy of video analysis by AI has been improved by using video shot with an ultra-high-definition 4K camera. The worker detection rate in the video has improved from 89% to 100%.
Additionally, by leveraging the proven technology, we were able to quickly identify tasks that were taking longer than planned and take action to improve productivity. The technology is also expected to improve safety through its application to monitor workers and their pathways and detect unsafe behavior. Sumitomo Electric will continue to promote the application of the demonstration technology to production sites.
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