The 5G Studio allows innovators to leverage Verizon’s 5G mmWave network and MEC to develop tech across various industries
Verizon first established a 5G Studio with Newlab in 2020 in New York City’s Brooklyn Navy Yard. The two companies then selected seven startups from a variety of industries and disciplines to use the space and leverage Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network — its mmWave network — and Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) capabilities to test and develop their technologies.
2021’s group of startups have been active in the space since the beginning of this year. As the new group continues their work, Verizon and Newlab have revealed the results of the work accomplished by the 2020 cohort.
“The 5G Studio provides a test bed for truly transformative innovation that leverages the power of Verizon’s 5G network,” explained Elise Neel, VP of new business incubation at Verizon. “We are delighted to build upon the Studio’s initial success with a new cohort of leading technologists embracing 5G to transform everything from urban transit, to sustainability, to industrial manufacturing and much more.”
One company, e1ectr0n, is using 5G to remotely operate its compact benchtop robot platform designed for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. The company operates the robot from its headquarters in Oregon using Verizon’s 5G infrastructure in an Industry 4.0 environment, leveraging computer vision to program the manufacturing process for a 6 inch X 6 inch music synthesizer.
Fermata Energy, founded with the intention to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), installed a bidirectional charger and used its proprietary V2X energy management software to perform V2X activities with a Nissan LEAF using both 4G and 5G technologies.
A third company using Verizon’s space is Sojourn, which uses the 5G network to create and access hyper-accurate maps that enable a drone to quickly locate user-defined points, simulating a 5G-enabled last-mile delivery solution. Further, Sojourn successfully migrated its cloud services to the 5G Studio’s MEC.
“Through the 5G Studio we continue to support the world’s leading experts and innovators as they test solutions with truly revolutionary potential for how we live and work,” said Shaun Stewart, CEO of Newlab. “The results of these tests will shape continued innovation applying 5G to a focused set of critical industry challenges.”
For more information about the work performed by the seven startups, visit Verizon’s website.
