Imagine internet that travels through invisible beams of light instead of radio waves. This means no more signal interference and no need to pay for expensive spectrum licenses. It's like having a high-speed data highway inside a building that knows exactly where every device is located.
Indoor mobile networks are often plagued by signal interference and the high cost and bureaucracy of acquiring licensed spectrum from operators. Additionally, precise indoor positioning for equipment remains a challenge for automation.
A Photonic near IR Cell Free 5G Network using VCSEL phase arrays and an AI-based distributed scheduler to manage interference.
If you are a factory owner dealing with signal interference and connectivity drops in a dense machine environment — this project developed a cell-free near IR network that provides 1 Gbps data rates and sub-cm localization accuracy to keep robots and sensors perfectly synced.
If you are a building manager dealing with the complexity of dividing indoor spaces into cellular areas and requesting MNO permissions — this project developed a license-free optical system that removes the need for licensed spectrum and simplifies indoor broadband deployment.
If you are a warehouse operator dealing with imprecise tracking of mobile equipment — this project developed a system that measures the position and orientation of end-user equipment with sub-cm accuracy using infrared light.
The project aims to develop a low total cost of ownership by using unlicensed optical bands, meaning building owners no longer need to pay for or request licensed spectrum from mobile network operators.
Based on available project data, the project is developing proof-of-concept demonstrators and performing experiments to validate the vision for Industry 4.0 factories.
The system operates at unlicensed optical bands, removing the legal and financial requirement to obtain permissions from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
It is designed as an easy-to-install and operate broadband network using pervasively located optical wireless communication (OWC) access points.
The project period runs from 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31, suggesting the technology is currently in the development and demonstration phase.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 60% industry ratio, comprising 3 industrial partners (including 2 SMEs) and 2 universities across 4 countries (DE, FR, IL, UK). This structure indicates a strong push toward commercial viability rather than pure academic research.
Contact EURESCOM in Germany for technical specifications on the near IR cell-free architecture.
Contact us to connect with the Opti-6G consortium for pilot integration opportunities.
