Ericsson, Volvo Group, and Bharti Airtel have announced a collaborative research initiative to explore the applications of Extended Reality (XR) and Digital Twin technologies, along with artificial intelligence (AI), within the manufacturing sector for the advancement and adoption of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 paradigms in India.
The research will be guided at the Volvo Group Factory and R&D Center in Bangalore. This research partnership leverages the capabilities of 5G and 5G Advanced to fundamentally reshape industrial operations, improve workforce training, and facilitate real-time process optimization.
This research aims to forward-thinking Industrial Metaverse applications that enhance human-machine interactions and collaboration, creates seamless integration between physical and digital environments and expected to drive efficiency and spur innovation in manufacturing, offering a digital platform for immersive training and real-time optimization via application of advanced AI technologies.
A key pillar of this initiative is the deployment and exploration of Airtel’s 5G advanced network as the foundation for industrial XR applications.
This collaboration is also poised to contribute significantly to the overarching transition toward Industry 4.0 and beyond. It offers potential pathways for unlocking new revenue streams and innovative business models for telecommunications providers.
Kamal Bali, President & MD of Volvo Group India commented “Our industry is undergoing a once in a lifetime transformation driven by the emerging trends across automation, connectivity and alternative energy carriers – tools which will be key in our ambitions to be Net Zero and shape a sustainable future for all. This transformation also includes the way we work and collaborate across our industrial and R&D sites. 5G, coupled with Extended Reality applications, will help foster innovation as well as collaboration between our sites and engineers, in real-time, through the power of connectivity & digitalization backed by advanced AI technologies.”
Also Read: Airtel Partners with Nokia and Qualcomm to expand 5G Fixed Wireless Access devicesSharat Sinha, Director & CEO – Airtel Business said, “We are thrilled to leverage the capabilities of our advanced 5G network for innovative industrial applications in partnership with Ericsson and Volvo Group. Through this collaboration, our high-speed, low latency 5G network will redefine and transform the manufacturing sector by enabling real-time XR applications for enhanced productivity and efficiencies, unlocking new revenue streams and accelerating the adoption of Industry 4.0 applications.”
Commenting on this collaboration, Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India says : “As India embraces Industry 4.0, 5G will be a game-changer towards enabling intelligent, connected, and immersive industrial experiences. This collaboration with Airtel and Volvo Group underscores Ericsson’s commitment to driving innovation through 5G and Extended Reality. By combining our expertise in network technology with cutting-edge XR applications, we are creating an ecosystem that will help industries to transform manufacturing. The research insights will be instrumental in shaping the future of industrial digitalization, not just in India but globally.”
