U.S., Sept. 7 -- Cloud control of machines - For years, factory automation has required programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that were physically installed on the machines they controlled and hard-wired into computer networks to ensure precise, reliable control under extreme conditions. If 5G consistently meets its performance promises, the PLC could be virtualised in the cloud, enabling machines to be controlled wirelessly and in real time at a fraction of the current cost.
Augmented reality - Factory workers are used to performing complex maintenance and control tasks that are often guided by standard operating procedures in paper manuals, videos or even augmented reality. But instructions streamed over 4G networks can be unreliable due...