A new 5G Innovation Lab is set to be created at the Port of Blyth following £500,000 of funding from the North East Combined Authority.
Businesses including offshore energy sector operators will get to test their technologies at the forthcoming facility that includes co-working spaces, specialised equipment and a private 5G network. Support will also come from local organisations to help firms scale up, innovate and access funding for 5G work.
The Lab is being developed by communications infrastructure firm Boldyn Networks and is intended as a testing ground for Industry 4.0 - the so-called fourth industrial revolution - businesses who are developing products and services before investment.
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Coun Nick Kemp, portfolio holder for economy at the North East Combined Authority and leader of Newcastle City Council, said: "This project will remove barriers to accessing, testing, and piloting 5G technology solutions for manufacturing and services companies within the Port of Blyth, regional ports and the wider North East region. It demonstrates the Combined Authority’s commitment to growing our region’s innovation potential – to create high-skilled jobs, grow our green economy and support offshore energy to get us to net zero.
"The project complements the work already being done by the ORE catapult in robotics, autonomous systems, big data, AI, and next-gen tech – and will reduce the likelihood that businesses based in the region fall behind the curve on 5G adoption.”
Alasdair Kerr, commercial director at Port of Blyth said: "We are delighted to welcome the first ever 5G Innovation Lab to Blyth. At the Port of Blyth, we pride ourselves on offering turnkey solutions to our customers. The Innovation Lab will provide a unique digital offering, enabling the exploration of innovative 5G technology solutions for the offshore renewable energy sector from a state-of-the-art facility on site."
The North East Combined Authority has also recently provided £1m of funding to North East healthcare-focussed research project, using 5G technologies. Participating organisations include CPI, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, Boldyn Networks, and Waymark.
CPI will work with businesses that submit ideas to improve patient flow and discharge services as part of a 5G accelerator programme. The work is intended to show how the technology can speed up treatment and planning within the healthcare industry, and save costs.
Steven Bagshaw, grand challenge lead at CPI, said: "Using 5G technologies in healthcare settings has the potential to help address some of the biggest challenges faced by healthcare providers today. By speeding up and increasing the ability to transfer large amounts of patient data, 5G technologies will provide the opportunity for new digital innovations to come to market. These innovations will help reduce the administrative and time pressures that confront those working in healthcare settings, and ultimately free up more time for doctors and nurses to spend with patients where it matters the most.
“It represents a huge step forward for the way we deliver health services. For many of us in the Ƶ, it might feel like 5G is already a part of daily life, but the application of digital technologies in healthcare is much more complex. We must strive to take advantage of these technologies to provide the best possible care for patients and make step-change improvements for staff in the NHS and wider social care.”
