A research arm of Purdue University will explore the potential of 5G technology to improve power management and reduce energy consumption within industrial manufacturing settings.
The Purdue Research Foundation and AT&T will collaborate as part of the latter’s Connected Climate Initiative. That effort unites technologies companies, AT&T Business customers, universities and nonprofits with the mission to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a gigaton—or approximately 15 percent of U.S. GHG emissions—by 2029.
“Industry partners are critical to the success of the ‘lab to life’ innovation platform,” said Troy Hege, vice president, innovation and technology for Purdue Research Foundation. “We know the most impactful opportunities often come at the intersection of research and communities, and private partners can be tremendously helpful for understanding the user experience and how technology can be used to solve challenges in local communities.”
AT&T is providing funding for the new research project. The research foundation is identifying an industrial manufacturing partner to explore how 5G wireless technology can be used to implement industry 4.0 applications and use cases that could enable more efficient and effective power management to reduce overall power consumption and associated emissions.
The collaboration developed out of conversations with AT&T after the company joined an industry-based technology leadership advisory board for the Discovery Park District at Purdue. The 400-acre master-planned smart community adjacent to Purdue University’s campus leverages a unique neutral host platform to deliver leading-edge connectivity services to residence and tenants, and supports real-world, at-scale development for new technologies.
Additionally, the research foundation is partnering with the Indiana 5G Zone on the project.
The research with the AT&T Connected Climate Initiative will provide opportunities for Purdue students and faculty to work with companies on real-world problems that extend beyond the classroom and the lab.
