A bridge between industry and academia: The Swisscom IoT/5G Innovation Lab 

The main research topics in the Swisscom IoT/5G Innovation Lab are:

• Localisation algorithms
• 5G and low power network architectures
• Power management for efficient data transmission
• Privacy preserving and decentralised data sharing systems
• Data analytics using machine learning and artificial intelligence

The Swisscom IoT/5G Innovation Lab offers consulting and rapid prototyping based on IoT applications. IoT connects things such as devices, sensors and machines to the Internet and thus generates data. With the help of this data, applications are fed and trained to improve processes, develop new services or create innovative business models.

Innovation from the IoT/5G Innovations Labs efficiently improves processes, as this example shows:

In order to optimise transport routes within a construction site, several odometers and presence sensors were installed on the machines that transport the goods. The distance data and load status of the machine were recorded while the machine was moving and then transferred to the cloud via LoRa communication. There, the trip statistics were calculated, and possible route improvements were suggested. Use of the IoT permitted the efficient use of routes on the construction site and the swift transportation of material from A to B. The system was able to use the data of the construction site to calculate the route statistics and propose possible route improvements.