Robots in a 5G World

AT&T and Badger team up for well-connected retail automation

5G promises a lot more than faster data transfer with lower latency for smartphones and gaming. It’s also expected to be an important connectivity option in robotics, potentially changing logistics in retail as well as industries such as construction and infrastructure inspection, where network speed, mobility and reliability are essential.

AT&T recently announced a partnership with Badger Technologies that will combine the latter’s fleet of robots with AT&T’s expanding 5G network. Badger makes autonomous mobile robots that monitor aisles in grocery stores to identify items that are out of stock or inappropriately placed. When tied into a 5G network, the retail robots will be able to autonomously roll up and down the aisles of shops, spotting sold-out products and possible in-store hazards.

AT&T and Badger plan to use the power of multi-access edge computing on the carrier’s 5G network, saying this will enable the seamless capture and processing of large volumes of aisle data. Retailers can then use this data to make smart inventory decisions. Local data processing using edge computing should improve latency problems, giving robotics providers such as Badger more control over how data travels and address important security concerns. Edge computing brings data closer to where it’s used and needed, compared with a traditional cloud set-up.

Badger’s robots currently rely on existing in-store Wi-Fi for connectivity, which can typically handle about 250 users without degrading service. Given that 5G is achieving speeds 10 times faster than 4G and can handle millions of users, equipping the robots with 5G capability will ensure there’s no slowdown or loss of connectivity. In addition to speed and efficiency, another important benefit is that it provides a separate private network rather than in-store Wi-Fi. This ensures better control over the data that robots collect, and also addresses retailers’ fears about privacy and security.

Private cellular networks are also an emerging topic in Europe. Telefonica recently claimed the “world’s first 5G mobile network for automobile production”, with Mercedes-Benz in Germany. The private network was deployed in partnership with Ericsson at Factory 56 in Sindelfingen and covers an area of more than 20,000 square metres (see Telefonica’s Transformation Strategy Picks Up Pace).

At MWC 2019 in Barcelona, Deutsche Telekom showcased a “campus network” at a facility owned by lighting specialist Osram, in southern Germany. During the operator’s press conference, attendees saw an autonomous robot carrying material on Osram’s factory floor (see MWC Barcelona 2019: Operators).

Deploying robots with 5G capabilities is an ambitious undertaking and one that’s still in its infancy. Other connectivity options also exist, with a growing presence of Wi-Fi 6, which offers many features similar to 5G. Store owners considering this approach will need to carry out a comparison of cost and features between the two technologies. Robot providers may need to offer both options to their customers.

Once refined and widely available, new connectivity options bringing higher throughput, lower latency and ultrareliable communication could play a significant role in the development of the use of robotics in industries from retail and agriculture to manufacturing and healthcare.