A partnership between Nokia and the South Australian Government has led to the establishment of a new National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab in the state as part of the Government’s $20 million Job Maker Digital Business initiative.
The National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab is expected to drive jobs growth in terms of 5G services and 5G-enabled industries. Among its functions, the Lab will help increase rail passenger safety by using big data for camera and scene analytics, improve airport situational awareness by using video cameras to secure public safety and handle energy management in a power network via 5G connectivity.
These 5G scenarios will be supported by Adelaide Airport, South Australian Power Network and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. It will also include the expertise of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning.
With 5G wireless technology creating new opportunities, 5G-enabled networks will be essential for the automation of the world’s physical industries, which will then lead to productivity gains.
Premier Steven Marshall said the National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab will support South Australia’s economic growth by providing revolutionary industrial 5G applications to innovative companies. This, in turn, will create future jobs within the state.
“I am delighted that South Australia has been chosen as the location for the National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab with Nokia. The Lab positions South Australia as a communications innovation hub, for South Australia, the nation and the entire Oceania region,” Premier Marshall said.
“It is critical that local industries are involved in shaping the Lab, taking advantage of this globally significant collaboration to lead a technological transformation by building new products and services that will drive Gross State Product growth as well as contribute to Gross Domestic Product growth.”
By delivering new jobs and opportunities across South Australia’s key growth sectors, the Lab will help establish the state as the best place to take advantage of the global digital trend for local and national growth.
Minister for Trade and Investment Stephen Patterson said that South Australia’s rapidly increasing hi-tech capability has created a perfect ecosystem to support a 5G Lab.
“Establishing a National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab in Adelaide with Nokia will further enhance South Australia’s strong manufacturing, AI and automation capabilities, providing significant opportunities for our local industry and enabling them to be globally competitive,” Minister Patterson said.
Aside from the South Australian Government, the bid was also supported by the following entities:
- Australian Institute for Machine Learning
- MIT bigdata Living Lab
- Adelaide Airport Limited
- Sage Automation
- SA Power Networks
- Bell Labs Consulting
“Nokia is delighted to establish our National 5G Industrial Incubation Lab in South Australia, an important step forward to harnessing the power of 5G for all Australian industries,” Nokia’s Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand Anna Wills said.
“5G has the potential to improve safety, productivity and efficiency across a range of industries and together with our partners in Bell Labs Consulting, we’re excited to see what can be achieved first with use cases for the rail, airports and energy sectors and then further afield.”
SOURCE: PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE