BT said that the trial will be carried out using EE’s 5G network
U.K. carrier BT Group launched a new testbed with the main aim of developing and trialing immersive experiences focused on work, home, health and entertainment.
In a release, the telco said that it is currently inviting technology partners and customers to collaborate in the testbed, which will use U.K. carrier EE’s 5G network and private 5G networks. BT also noted that the testbed will explore how new capabilities such as network exposure functions, cloud-rendering and enhanced localization best work with 5G networks to support the growth of mixed reality use cases.
“Network optimization is a fundamental enabler for immersive experiences that will require high bandwidth, high capacity and ultra-low latency networks which can be dynamically configured for the demands of different extended reality service applications. We’re delighted to invite others in the ecosystem to work with us, using the testbed to explore future use cases for consumers, enterprise and industry sectors” said Gabriela Styf Sjoman, manageing director for research and network strategy at BT Group.
BT Group explained that it aims to understand how networks, platforms, services and apps can be optimized for cloud-GPU-rendered extended reality immersive experiences delivered over EE’s public and private 5G networks. With the support from a range of solution providers, the testbed will look to support a broad range of extended reality use cases, with a focus on the use of augmented reality which enables blended realities – mixing virtual content with the real-world, the telco said.
“With this testbed we’re looking to understand what future extended reality immersive experiences might require from network service providers like BT Group, platform operators and application service developers. These requirements will obviously vary depending on the particular use case. At the extreme we might need to support a completely cloud rendered immersive experience which would require high-bandwidth and low-latency networks paired with new facilities such as network exposure functions that would enable a platform operator to request additional capabilities such as edge GPU compute or symmetric bandwidth provision that would optimise the end-user experience. By understanding the demands of future service use cases – networks, platforms and applications can be optimised to provide the best possible quality of experience for users,” said Andy Gower, head of immersive content research at BT.
Whilst the platform is still in testing phase, it has already enabled demonstrations of use cases for car retail, education, sports broadcasting and medical imaging, the U.K. carrier added.
BT recently showcased an extended reality digital twin of Adastral Park, its global R&D headquarters. Using 5G, cloud-GPU rendering and hybrid localization, users were able to view data such as power usage of buildings and equipment by integrating live data streams from Johnson Controls International.
The carrier noted that digital twins can be used to collate and present real-time data from physical systems in an immersive virtual presentation, enabling real-time monitoring and two-way control, in addition to modeling, simulation and analytics of complex real-world systems.
