Intel, Federated Wireless and Blue White Robotics deployed a private wireless network at a California winery, claiming the technology will help farmers address labor shortages by making tractors autonomous.
Intel’s Caroline Chan, VP in the network and edge group - new business incubator division, said in a press release she is “extremely optimistic for what 5G edge solutions can enable” for autonomous agriculture. “Each company brings unique offerings and expertise to create a private network solution that can not only transform agriculture but also scale to support other use cases in different sectors,” she said.
The winery’s network will be able to support more connected devices and use cases as the vineyard becomes increasingly autonomous, predicted Chris Swan, chief commercial officer at Federated Wireless.
5G Open Innovation Lab
The hardware and software used to manage the tractors was provided by Blue White Robotics, an alumni of the 5G Open Innovation Lab startup accelerator program. The 5G Open Innovation Lab is a collaborative formed to develop software that can leverage 5G and facilitate digital transformation. Its advisory board includes Intel’s Chan, as well as T-Mobile’s John Saw, EVP for advanced and emerging technologies, and Microsoft VP 5G strategy Shawn Hakl.
Posted September 22, 2022