Finland to open world's first development environment for the industrial internet

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the University of Oulu are building a technology and pilot environment in which businesses and researchers can together develop new industrial internet solutions.

The new technological platform will be the first one in the world to combine the core technologies of the industrial internet and 5G telecommunications solutions in an interoperable environment. It will act as a service and product development platform for existing and new businesses and allow them to increase their competitiveness and efficiency by means of new, innovative services and products enabled by the industrial internet.

The environment will consist of four components. VTT will be responsible for intelligent environments for the industrial internet of properties and electronic pilot production, as well as the 5G solutions needed for telecommunications in the industrial internet. The University of Oulu will be responsible for the further development of the 3D printing processes of its Fab Lab with the help of industrial robotics and sensors.

“The investment will allow us to create new, flexible and decentralised production solutions for the industrial internet and digital services in a dynamically networked environment. The environment will be used by hardware and software developers, service providers and suppliers, as well as end users”, explained Project Manager Marjaana Komi from VTT.

The technology and pilot environment, and service platform for the industrial internet, will be built as part of the HILLA project. The main sponsor is the Council of Oulu Region through the European Regional Development Fund. The project also receives funding from Bittium, Exfo, Iilaakso, Inspector Sec, Oulun Energia, Oulun Moniasunnot, PehuTec, University Properties of Finland, Valopaa and the Finnish Broadcasting Company.

The project supports the Finnish Government’s Internet of Things program and also ties in with the Mass Data Analysis and 5G integration project.