REINDEER · Project

Wall-Mounted Wireless Panels Deliver Beyond-5G Indoor Connectivity at Minimal Power

digitalTestedTRL 4

Imagine replacing your Wi-Fi router with smart panels covering walls and ceilings — thousands of tiny antennas working together like a blanket of signal. Instead of one big transmitter blasting power, these panels surround devices with gentle, precise beams using barely any energy. The result is rock-solid wireless for hundreds of robots, sensors, and gadgets at once — think going from one spotlight in a dark room to soft lighting everywhere. The team built and tested this in real testbeds to prove it actually works beyond the math.

By the numbers

EUR 4,644,460

EU research funding invested

consortium partners

countries involved (AT, BE, ES, SE)

industry partners in consortium

60%

industry partner ratio

total project deliverables

SMEs in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Factories, hospitals, and entertainment venues need ultra-reliable wireless for hundreds of moving robots, sensors, and devices — but current Wi-Fi and even private 5G networks struggle with coverage dead spots, latency spikes, and power-hungry infrastructure. The more devices you add, the worse performance gets, and dropped connections in automated production or patient monitoring can be costly or dangerous.

The solution

What was built

The team built and demonstrated a RadioWeaves smart connectivity platform — wall and ceiling-mounted panels with distributed radio, computing, and storage that provide ultra-reliable wireless coverage. They delivered proof-of-concept demonstrations validating resilient applications in dynamic scenarios and interaction with energy-neutral devices, across 21 total deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive and electronics manufacturers running automated production lines with mobile robotsAR/VR entertainment venues and theme park operators needing massive simultaneous device supportHospitals and eldercare facilities deploying wireless patient monitoring at scaleWarehouse and logistics operators with fleets of autonomous guided vehiclesPrivate network operators and telecom equipment manufacturers looking at beyond-5G infrastructure

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Smart Manufacturing & Logistics

enterprise

Target: Factory operators running automated production lines with mobile robots and AGVs

If you are a factory operator struggling with unreliable Wi-Fi dropping connections on your mobile robots — this project developed RadioWeaves panels that mount on walls and ceilings, providing ultra-reliable wireless coverage across the entire shop floor. The system was designed specifically for robotized industrial environments requiring real-time cooperation between machines. With 10 consortium partners including 6 industry players, the technology was validated in proof-of-concept testbeds.

Immersive Entertainment & Events

mid-size

Target: Venue operators and AR/VR experience providers needing massive simultaneous device connectivity

If you are an entertainment venue operator who cannot deliver smooth AR/VR experiences because your wireless network chokes when hundreds of headsets connect at once — this project built a distributed antenna infrastructure that scales capacity to handle extremely high numbers of devices simultaneously. The RadioWeaves architecture was designed for immersive entertainment as one of its three core use cases. Proof-of-concept demonstrations showed that improved service levels are achievable with feasible implementation complexity.

Healthcare & Assisted Living

any

Target: Hospitals and eldercare facilities deploying wireless patient monitoring and ambient sensors

If you are a care facility manager needing reliable connectivity for hundreds of body sensors, fall detectors, and energy-neutral monitoring devices — this project developed technology specifically for intuitive care environments. The RadioWeaves system supports interaction with an extremely high number of embedded devices at minimal transmit power, critical in medical settings. The platform includes co-designed protocols for energy-neutral devices that harvest power from the radio signal itself.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to deploy RadioWeaves in our facility?

The project received EUR 4,644,460 in EU funding for research and proof-of-concept development across 10 partners. Commercial pricing is not yet established since the technology is at proof-of-concept stage. Deployment costs would depend on facility size and panel density requirements.

Can this scale to cover a large warehouse or multi-floor building?

The architecture is designed to be scalable to what the project calls 'quasi-infinite' capacity by adding more panels. RadioWeaves panels mount on walls and ceilings, so scaling means adding more surface coverage. The distributed computing and storage built into each panel means you don't hit a central bottleneck as you scale up.

Who owns the intellectual property and can we license it?

The consortium of 10 partners across 4 countries developed the IP under an EU Research and Innovation Action. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium, led by coordinator Technikon (Austria). Industrial partners hold 60% of the consortium, which typically means IP is structured for commercial exploitation.

How does this compare to private 5G networks we could install today?

RadioWeaves is designed to go beyond what current 5G offers — specifically in reliability, latency, and energy efficiency for dense device environments. The technology works in both licensed and unlicensed bands, giving more deployment flexibility than 5G-only solutions. Based on available project data, the system targets perceived zero latency and consistently excellent service at minimal transmit power.

Is this ready for production deployment?

The project completed proof-of-concept demonstrations in versatile testbeds, validating that improved service levels are achievable with feasible implementation complexity. This is research-validated technology, not a commercial product yet. Further engineering and productization would be needed before factory-floor deployment.

Does it work with our existing sensors and IoT devices?

The project specifically developed protocols for interaction with energy-neutral devices and existing embedded devices. The platform operates in both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands, which supports compatibility with standard wireless equipment. Integration details would depend on your specific device ecosystem.

What standards or regulatory approvals does this meet?

The consortium engaged in pre-standardisation activities as part of its communication plan. The technology works across licensed and unlicensed bands, which means existing regulatory pathways apply. Based on available project data, specific certifications were not yet pursued at the proof-of-concept stage.

Consortium

Who built it

The REINDEER consortium is unusually industry-heavy for a research project, with 6 out of 10 partners (60%) coming from industry, including 2 SMEs. This signals serious intent to move the technology toward commercial viability. The 4 university partners provide the deep wireless research expertise, while industry partners bring real-world deployment knowledge. The consortium spans 4 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Spain, Sweden), with coordination led by Technikon, an Austrian SME specializing in research management. The EUR 4,644,460 budget supported 21 deliverables over 4 years, including hands-on proof-of-concept demonstrations — a sign the team focused on building and testing, not just publishing papers.

TECHNIKON FORSCHUNGS- UND PLANUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBHCoordinator · AT
LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
TELEFONICA SAparticipant · ES
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET GRAZparticipant · AT
LUNDS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
ERICSSON ABparticipant · SE
TELEFONICA INNOVACION DIGITAL SLparticipant · ES
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENparticipant · BE
NXP SEMICONDUCTORS AUSTRIA GMBH & CO KGparticipant · AT

How to reach the team

Coordinator is Technikon (Austria, SME). Use SciTransfer's coordinator lookup service to find the right contact person.

Order a report on this consortium See TECHNIKON FORSCHUNGS- UND PLANUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how RadioWeaves technology could solve your wireless connectivity challenges? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the REINDEER research team and help assess fit for your specific use case.

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