5G for business
Inovatica AGV is a company separated from the Inovatica capital group, whose goal is the implementation, operation and development of autonomous forklifts (AGV). Development works are carried out in the company's technical laboratory in Łódź. By joining the new accelerator, they will also be prepared for cooperation with the 5G network. S5 - 5G Technology Accelerator is run by the Łódź Special Economic Zone (ŁSSE) using EU funds.
Over 100 companies from Poland, but also from Ireland, the Czech Republic and India applied for participation in the accelerator. “We are very happy that we will have the opportunity to cooperate with the industry operating in the Łódź Special Economic Zone (ŁSSE). The 5G network will allow our agv trucks to achieve even better results. In the future, it will allow vehicles to communicate with each other, automate the process of assigning tasks to them, remote diagnostics, and even more complete integration with WMS systems. In addition, the potential of analytics will be released, allowing for optimization of logistics processes in real time,” says Bogumił Zięba, CEO of Inovatica.
How AGVs work
Autonomous forklifts (AGVs) carry out their tasks using the proprietary Inovatica AGV software, and laser navigation, proximity sensors and cameras allow them to follow the right path. AGVs as internal transport vehicles are great where there is a large number of tasks of a repetitive nature, e.g. transport of pallets from the warehouse to the production facilities. Importantly, AGVs can work in conditions unfavourable to humans, such as noise, low temperature or lack of light. Therefore, they are considered one of the key elements of the ongoing Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), and their potential will be further strengthened by the 5G network.
Marek Zagórski, the Minister of Digitization, who has participated in the conference inaugurating the accelerator’s operation, also has great hope related to the implementation of the new technology. “The 5G basin is being created in Łódź and I hope it will be our technology valley. The city has the potential and adequate facilities. I hope that we will soon see the first effects of industrial implementations,” he said.
Interest in introducing 5G-based solutions by the industry is confirmed by Dr. Thorsten Störmer, Managing Director of Miele Technika Sp. z o.o. “We chose two factories for pilot operations, one in Lodz and the other in Germany. Of particular interest to us is the mass connection of IoT (Internet of Things) with AI (artificial intelligence), which will allow to manage processes in factories in real time. We also want the factory to have its twin in the digital world thanks to the sensors. This will allow fast and reliable simulations, advanced analytics and many other benefits.”
In Łódź, in addition to the ŁSSE accelerator and commercial operators, also the Lodz University of Technology launched its 5G research network.
