5G drives
IoT forward
Example: Swiss Technical University
and Fraunhofer Institute

 

Innovation drivers – 5G and basic research drive IoT forward

Well-known research institutes, such as the Fraunhofer Institute and Swiss Technical University (ETH), have been working on basic research and technologies for 5G network application areas for many years. The Internet of Things, IoT for short, is the focus of an enormous scenario of globally networked machines. In the industrial sector, IoT is called the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

 

Security in IoT and IIoT

There is hardly any area of life, work, or business that has not been touched by digitalization. Companies must face the topic of digital transformation. IT security and cybersecurity are of critical importance for this. After all, the estimated worldwide damage caused by cybercrimes is now up to approximately EU 500 billion annually.

As the Internet of Things merges the real world with the digital world, the once reliable firewall between these two worlds becomes more and more vulnerable, with the result that cyberattacks can have very specific effects on everyday life and at work.

If you look at the Industrial Internet of Things as a nervous system for the future creation of value, it becomes clear how critical this threat is. Contrary to end user technologies that have short lifecycles, systems used in IIoT operate for several decades. This requires reliability and operability over very long periods of time. Accordingly, the challenge is to ensure seamless data protection, integrity, and authenticity in IIoT communication.

 

 

Energy Harvesting

 

 

 

For sensors and transmitters to work 24 hours/day for 365 days, the switches and chips have to be small and powerful. Also, the energy needed for continuous operation must be self-generated.

The principle of energy harvesting eliminates the need for cable-dependent power supply and the recharging of mobile device batteries. This makes it possible to operate services such as the localization of goods, individuals, and animals seamlessly and energy-efficiently.

 

 

Thermoelectric power

Thermoelectric power generation utilizes the temperature difference between a cold or warm object and its environment, which facilitates the generation of electric energy by using the so-called Seebeck effect.

 

Mechanical energy

Mechanical motion, physical pressure, and vibrations, too, can be converted into electric voltage with piezoelectric or inductive generators. Even light vibrations occurring in machines or motors can provide energy to small electronic devices.

 

 

Power generation with photovoltaics

The direct conversion of sunlight into electric power by using solar cells has become standard in the supply of power to households. For small users in particular, small sensors can be used to generate electric power with solar energy and thus for 5G network features.

 

Use Cases – 5G in real life

Here we are showing you potential applications and scenarios that will convey what 5G will mean for us – in a realistic and practice-oriented way. Join us on our discovery tour!