5G-enabled Testing at our innovation hubs: Care Reality

Published: 15th September 2023

Care Reality, one of the winners of The Scotland 5G Centre’s inaugural innovation challenge ‘Shaping Digital Health & Social Care’ has returned to our S5GConnect Dumfries hub to conduct latency testing of their most recent project over our Private 5G network.

Care Reality is an innovative Scottish EdTech software company that designs and builds immersive learning experiences through virtual reality (VR). Emerging from the Scottish Governments CivTech 6 Accelerator programme in 2022, Care Reality are dedicated solely to the health and care sector, providing a learning platform tailored for community health settings and residential care homes.

Learners are fully immersed within a dynamic 3D environment, navigating interactive scenarios and lifelike situations that enhance their knowledge, confidence and skills through experiential learning.

Using virtual reality headsets and their bespoke software platform, Care Reality is exploring the benefits of 5G for their ongoing projects, including R&D project: ‘Virtual Choirs in Care Homes: A networked XR therapeutic singing intervention to improve mental health’.

We spoke to Jake Spreadborough, Lead Developer at Care Reality about the company’s latest project and testing at the Dumfries hub.

What benefits are you seeing as a result of participating in the S5GC Innovation challenge last year?

Following the S5GC Innovation challenge, Care Reality has seen increased engagement in Dumfries and Galloway within both the health and social care and higher education sectors.

What’s the main focus of this testing?

With this testing, we are exploring the potential applications of 5G networks and its benefits in regard to further iterations and developments of our project. Over time, we would like to increase the integration of networked features in the Virtual Choirs project to further extend its use cases and potential user base.

We wish to achieve a latency and download that gives users a totally harmonious experience with the other fellow choir singers – so there is no noticeable delay or lag, and it gives the user the experience of being with the other members of the choir and singing live in a choir as if at the same location.

How does the headset work?

Users will be placed into the headset, and all control will be carried out by a ‘Leader’, who loads up singing experiences for all participants. The leader will be able to communicate directly with each user, to ensure comfort. We also have safeguarding systems implemented to ensure that each user is safe and is able to exit the experience whenever they want to.

How will this technology benefit people living with dementia?

Generally, we expect this technology to build on the evidenced therapeutic benefits that singing can bring for people living with dementia and carers, and their mental health and wellbeing. The group choir experience aims to create a sense of presence within the immersive VR scene to recreate the sense of belonging, shared purpose and co-creation that are known to contribute to the social connectedness of choir singing.

What are the benefits of having facilities such as the Dumfries hub, accessible for organisations in the south of Scotland?

The Dumfries hub is an excellent facility for use-case testing and for on-site testing, and Care Reality has utilised this multiple times since completing the S5GC Innovation challenge. It also offers a great co-working space that provides a nice way for an otherwise remote company to meet up and work together on our projects.

Tay 5G Challenge Fund Winners

Published: 11th September 2023

Tay5G, a Tay Cities Region Deal project in collaboration with the Scotland 5G Centre and industry partners, has today announced the winners of its Challenge Fund.

This competitive funding initiative aims to accelerate the development of innovative projects utilising the power of 5G technology to transform various sectors. It has been supported with around £430,000 of Scottish Government funding as part of its £2million investment in Tay5G.

The winners of the challenge are Digiflec, Neutral Wireless working with QTV, James Hutton Ltd and Scotland Re:Design.

The fund attracted extensive interest and the winners, chosen from a wide range of great ideas, represent a diverse range of innovation. Supported by the adoption of 5G technology, these projects aim to bring about advancements in fashion, agritech, smart cities, and broadcasting, driving economic growth, and delivering tangible benefits to businesses and communities in Scotland and beyond.

Digiflec, a technology company, has been selected for their smart cities, digital twins and Internet of Things (IoT) project. By harnessing the power of 5G connectivity, Digiflec aims to create smart city solutions that improve the quality of life for residents and enhance urban infrastructure efficiency. Their project includes the development of smart, real-time traffic and people monitoring and management systems. Digiflec’s innovative approach to smart city development promises to make a significant impact by improving urban living and sustainability.

James Hutton Ltd is the commercial arm of the James Hutton Institute, a world-leading agriculture and agritech research organisation. The company has secured funding for ‘groundbreaking’ innovation. Leveraging 5G technology, their project aims to enhance precision in farming practices, increase crop yield and quality, and support sustainable agriculture. By deploying sensor networks, adding automation, and utilising real-time data analytics, the company aims to provide farmers with valuable insights and recommendations to optimise farming operations, reduce resource consumption, and improve overall productivity. These techniques have the potential to revolutionise agricultural practice and contribute to a more efficient and socially responsible food production system.

Neutral Wireless, a sustainable mobile wireless technology company, is working in partnership with broadcasting company QTV. They have won funding for their project focused on improving broadcasting capabilities. Leveraging 5G technology, they aim to further enhance broadcasting infrastructure that supports high-quality, low-latency live streaming and remote production. This will enable broadcasters to deliver immersive and engaging content to viewers, regardless of their location. By embracing 5G capabilities, their work will help to ensure a seamless viewing experience for audiences.

Scotland Re:Design has been awarded funding for their immersive experience fashion project, which merges the worlds of fashion, textiles  and technology. Combining virtual reality, augmented reality, and 5G connectivity, Scotland Re:Design will work with designers to create interactive fashion experiences that allow customers to virtually try before buying. This concept has the potential to revolutionise the textiles and retail sectors, contribute to reducing waste and provide unique shopping experiences to consumers.

Tay5G and The Scotland 5G Centre continue to encourage and support the development of innovative 5G projects, fostering Scotland’s position as a leader in technological advancements. By embracing the opportunities presented by 5G, Scotland is set to unlock new possibilities and create a brighter future for its industries and citizens.

Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said: “I congratulate the winners on their innovative use of 5G technology, which promises to improve quality of life and drive sustainable economic growth within the Tay region.

“From improved farming to smarter city planning, broadcasting advances to virtual try before you buy fashion, these winning projects demonstrate the enormous variety of uses for this cutting edge 5G technology.

“The Scottish Government invested £2 million in Tay5G through the Tay Cities Region Deal and is working to ensure our substantial investments in Scotland’s digital infrastructure make the maximum impact on lives and livelihoods.”

Dundee City Council’s Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Convener, Councillor Steven Rome, said: “The Tay5G Challenge Fund was designed to help the Tay city region growth sectors embrace 5G networks and enhance their business by optimising processes, increasing capability through to enabling new products and services.

“The winners have certainly risen to the task. Each project represents genuine innovation with the power to harness the latest connectivity technology and transform sectors of the economy from fashion to farming. They all have real potential, and I look forward to seeing how they develop going forward.”

The Scotland 5G Centre says: “The Scotland 5G Centre’s (S5GC) Dundee hub is pleased to be a partner of the Tay5G in this Innovation Challenge. As a purpose built 5G testbed location invested in the region, and at the heart of the technological innovation ecosystem, S5GC supports research and development on enabling technologies for applications where 5G connectivity plays a key role in transforming key industries. We are looking forward to supporting the winners alongside the process in this unique opportunity the region is offering.”

For more information about the Tay5G Challenge Fund and the winners of this funding cycle, visit www.tay5g.com

Advanced communications can provide a vital boost to Scotland’s economic development

Published: 1st August 2023

First published in FutureScot; By Luca Campanalonga

Rarely has there been a period of such rapid development as the one we are currently experiencing in digital communications.

Technology that would have been the reserve of science fiction 25 years ago has become an extremely accessible part of everyday life and 5G connectivity is right at the heart of that.

Although most of us are familiar with 5G being what powers our mobile internet and keeps us connected on the go, it’s a technology that is being used in new and interesting ways by both the public and private sector. It can deliver tremendous benefits for communities and organisations, not only by reducing the digital divide, but also by increasing productivity and nurturing new skills.

How 5G powered broadcast of HM King Charles III’s coronation

For instance, it was Scottish 5G technology that powered the broadcast of HM King Charles III’s coronation. A once-in-a-generation event that, from a logistical point of view, was a challenge. When the King’s grandfather had his coronation in 1937, almost 10 miles of cabling was required to convey footage from the cameras at Westminster Abbey to the transmission centre at Alexandra Palace. This time around though, thanks to 5G technology developed by Neutral Wireless, a spin-out of the University of Strathclyde and a project supported by The Scotland 5G Centre, the connectivity deployment was significantly more straightforward and the solution has been considered by the industry as a breakthrough.

Being able to broadcast from any location is just one example of what 5G applications can do. What’s more, the nature of 5G technology means it can be integrated into any setting, making the business use cases for 5G almost endless. There has never been a better time for organisations to start integrating a proper 5G connectivity policy into their broader digitalisation strategy. In fact, there is a growing number of funding opportunities, across the UK, designed to help organisations and local authorities make that upgrade, and the development of innovations centres such as Scotland’s 5G Centre provides support to organisations trying to make the transition.

5G technology can hold the key to a whole range of innovations that can help improve efficiency and productivity, limit waste and help achieve net-zero targets.

Following the recent release of the Scottish Government’s Digital Innovation Strategy, it’s clear that each of these areas is a priority for Holyrood, but there is still a general lack of appreciation for exactly how beneficial investment in connectivity can be. Now is the moment for organisations, both public and private, to explore what funding is available to support further investment and the opportunities that advanced connectivity can bring.

And there is help out there, with £40 million recently set aside by DSIT to fund UK regions looking to establish themselves as ‘5G Innovation Regions’. In this context, The Scotland 5G Centre can support Local Authorities’ bid applications by providing access to our national suite of state-of-the-art 5G testbeds and technical resources, to accelerate activities that bridge the gap between trials and adoption and demonstrate the benefits to the economy and society.

According to Beauhurst, as of August last year, there were 858 high-growth tech businesses active in Scotland. Combine this with the world-class universities and there is no reason why Scotland shouldn’t be making the most of advanced communications technology.

The future success of 5G in Scotland relies on organisations being ready to take the plunge and embrace it even if it does take them out of their comfort zones. With financial support available and a fertile technology landscape which is producing more and more home-grown, skilled workers, there is real potential for 5G to enable key sectors to work smarter, be more competitive, and ultimately provide a timely boost to the Scottish economy.

5G virtual production breakthrough for UK movie industry as real-time scenes shot 280 miles apart

Published: 26th July 2023

• Rapid 5G internet connection links Virtual Production ‘movie magic’ screens for simultaneous shoot with actors located in both Dundee and Manchester
• Industry partners team up with universities on pathfinder project to deliver ‘climate-friendly’ approach for TV, film and performing arts.

The first scenes from a ground-breaking movie making project have today been released, showcasing a new Virtual Production technique that allows actors to work together in real-time in two different locations using a 5G internet connection.

In a first for the UK film industry, the test sequence used the rapid bandwidth speed of wireless 5G to connect industry quality digital backdrop screens in studios in Dundee and Manchester, allowing two actors to be filmed against a consistent virtual environment, without the need to travel to an exotic location, or be in the same room.

Virtual Production is a new cinematography technique that uses computer-generated imagery (CGI), high-definition LED screens and motion capture to create virtual sets, allowing filmmakers and theatre directors to create large-scale digitally generated environments to support real-time interaction, offering a faster, less expensive alternative to green screens.

The project is the first UK proof of concept for wireless virtual production film-making, opening the door to a more flexible approach as 5G is rolled out across the country, while also showcasing the potential for mobile studios capable of being set up on any site with a 5G connection.

Led by Abertay University in Dundee, the 5G project is part of the Tay5G use case trial funded by the Scottish Government through the Tay Cities Region Deal and is supported by Dundee City Council; InGAME (Innovation for Games and Media Enterprise); VSS (Video Screen Services) StoryFutures; Royal Holloway, University of London; The Scotland 5G Centre and telecoms infrastructure company AWTG.

A large LED screen, part of which was previously used to film 2022 movie The Batman, was installed by VSS in Abertay’s new Virtual Production Research Environment in Dundee and was linked via 5G by AWTG to a similar screen in Manchester.

The short test sequence – featuring a sci-fi narrative based around AI Armageddon – was directed by Professor Peter Richardson, Head of Virtual Production at StoryFutures and Professor of Creative Industries at Royal Holloway, University of London.

He said: “From a directing perspective, we had a team up in Dundee and a team down in Manchester where I was physically based, and I would give the actors direction over the 5G network, as well as receiving a direct feed from the camera in Dundee. I could see both shots on my monitor and the two actors that are 280 miles away acting together as though they were there in the same room. It’s been an interesting journey and we managed to get some really great material, so when the shots are compiled together you really do believe the actors are side by side, face to face.”

Abertay University hosts the 5G testbed in Dundee, giving researchers access to a private, controlled network to develop high-performing mobile processes almost matching the speeds of hard-wired connections.

Matt Bett of Abertay University’s Division of Games Technology and Mathematics said the use of virtual production coupled with 5G has enormous potential for the industry, including scope for a significant reduction in carbon footprint through reduced travel.

He added: “The Tay5G Virtual Production project has given us an opportunity to showcase the power of 5G for film production in a way that’s never been accomplished before. These results open the way for 5G to facilitate some major advances in the film and TV industries in the future and to put the UK at the forefront of the huge range of possibilities currently the horizon.”

The Tay5G project is funding a range of use case trials using 5G mobile technology in the Tay Cities Region, building on the area’s strategic strengths in the creative and digital industries. The core partnership consists of the Councils of Dundee City, Angus, Fife and Perth & Kinross.

Scottish Government Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead said: “I congratulate Abertay University and partners on developing this transformative new approach to film making.

“Scottish Government funding through the Tay Cities Region Deal is helping place Dundee in the vanguard by supporting cutting edge technology, promising to significantly reduce the film industry’s carbon footprint while helping the regional economy grasp enormous opportunities enabled by 5G.”

Dundee’s Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Convener, Councillor Steven Rome said: “It is incredibly exciting to see Dundee at the forefront of this groundbreaking work and use of 5G. When the Tay5G project was being developed, we knew that Virtual Production offered huge potential to build on the partners’ expertise across production and games as well as the outcomes from transnational EU project Create Converge and creative clusters InGAME and Story Futures. With the recent announcement of a new ‘movie magic’ research lab planned for Dundee, we’re building on world-class expertise in the creative and tech sectors to deliver our shared vision for a strong, smart and sustainable local economy with jobs and opportunities for all.”

5G-enabled Testing at our Innovation Hubs – KMsoft

Published: 27th June 2023

KMsoft are a family-owned software house, providing both accredited and bespoke software solutions for a wide range of sectors including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, automotive and government.

With invaluable expertise in inventory management, barcode scanning and RFID technology spanning over 40 years, KMsoft offer businesses innovative inventory management and asset tracking solutions, including label printers or pre-printed labels, mobile and fixed position barcode scanners, as well as all the software and training required to improve the efficiency and profitability of the business.

We spoke to Pete Thomson, Founder and CEO of KMsoft:

1. What are you testing at The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) hub?

Today, at The Scotland 5G centre, we are testing our StockAssist barcode inventory management solutions, to see if we can establish secure, fast communication over the hub’s private 5G network.

2. What have you achieved during initial testing?

In conjunction with The Scotland 5G Centre, in our initial testing at the hub, we have successfully proven that our barcode inventory management solutions will work over a private 5G network.

3. What options and opportunities does testing in a 5G environment bring to your organisation & product that other technologies can’t?

The proof of concept testing we have carried out today, and the evidence that our technology works as we hoped stands us in a much stronger position when we come to market our products and services to large organisations, particularly within the logistics and food & beverage sector who either have implemented or are planning to implement their own 5G network into their factories and workspaces.

4. What does it mean for a company such as yours having this innovation space available and accessible for businesses in the Forth Valley region?

Having this space and the equipment to test ideas and innovations, together with the technical team to support the testing located locally within the Forth Valley definitely opens up more opportunity to businesses located throughout the country. The Scotland 5G Centre’s hub network ensures that support is available to everyone in Scotland with new concepts or technologies without being based in one of the two major cities.