Research Project: 5G and the Internet of Things – Technology Supports Crisis Operations, Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, press release

The 5G mobile communications standard provides faster mobile internet and thus also new capabilities for the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). A 5G network application is now being developed and tested for crisis and emergency scenarios. The Technical University of Lübeck, Dräger Safety, Lübeck University, and AKQUINET are participating in a research project called “O5G-N-IoT”.

The “O5G-N-IoT” project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) in the amount of 2.2 million euros, runs from April 2022 to March 2025. The goal is to create a private 5G network with IoT technology connected to potential crisis areas – in which it failed Mobile Networks and WLANs – To be set up and running on a test basis. “The CoSA Competence Center is responsible for the development, regular construction and evaluation of the campus 5G network for emergency and rescue operations. This means that emergency services can either use their own mobile 5G infrastructure, introduce and use existing infrastructure, or use a hybrid operation of both options,” he says. Head of the CoSA Competence Center at the Lübeck University of Applied Sciences. “The Ahr Valley disaster has shown us how important it is for emergency and rescue services to communicate with each other safely and stably in such situations, so that they can act quickly and in a targeted manner,” says Andreas Farber, Head of Project Partner. Aquinette.

So far, rescuers have relied on public sector communications technologies such as TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio), LTE, and other proprietary solutions. These solutions are closed and some do not meet all the requirements established in today’s emergency operations. On the other hand, 5G technology ensures safe and lag-free transmission of data. In the “O5G-N-IoT” project, the project partners want to equip various devices and aids for rescue operations, such as gas and temperature gauges, helmet cameras or vehicles with 5G-capable sensors that must automatically transmit their data to the enclosed location. 5G network. In this way, an updated and detailed picture of the situation will be generated on the basis of live data and location data in the rescue operation control center. This IoT approach should be expanded to the point where a so-called “digital twin” is created – that is, a digital picture of the situation and the rescue services deployed there.

The infrastructure must be very robust and can be maintained remotely

In the project, AKQUINET is responsible for creating the necessary mobile infrastructure, such as emergency power generator, diesel engine, servers, cables and antennas. The entire technology has to be put into a bigger trailer. Andreas Färber explains the challenge: “Here, the technology does not run in a secure data center. So it has to run very aggressively and trouble-free, even under poor environmental conditions. In addition, we plan to run it by rescue workers who are not IT savvy. To have the infrastructure easy to operate and maintainable remotely for us.” Building on this core infrastructure, the Lübeck University of Applied Sciences will create an open source 5G network. As another partner in the project, Dräger will pre-equip devices and vehicles that could be used in this crisis scenario with sensors and make them 5G capable. The University of Lübeck is responsible for ensuring the quality of the project.

“The project is very valuable because 5G technology is not intended to improve business operations here, but should be used in a potential crisis area so that we can better help the local population,” says Andreas Färber.

To the BMWK project profile: Digital Technologies – O5G-N-IoT (digitale-technologies.de)