ALMA in Imagine-B5G Open Call #1

ALMA, stands for (Ai gLoves huMan Activity), is a Vertical Experiments project for the IMAGINE-B5G Norwegian test-facility from the partners MIMETIK UG. It is one of 15 projects that were selected for the first Open Call of Imagine-B5G.

Mimetik aims to integrate the solution for the training of blue-collar workers in a realistic Industry 4.0 environment. This is a common environment for Mimetik customers. It should contain a 5G network and on-premise cloud. This will validate the infrastructure readiness and help Mimetik in business with customers using similar networks. For this purpose, Mimetik intends to use the fully functional prototype that is already available. It is currently equipped with wifi. During the project, Mimetik will add a 5G capability and test the full system with resources available at the IMAGINE-B5G facility in Norway. Mimetik includes data gloves as a core part of all products. They measure the hand motion and send it to a backend server. Mimetik data gloves will be equipped with 5G in the course of this project.

The proposed solution will impact IMAGINE-B5G in different ways: 

• At the management level, Mimetik gloves compete with solutions based on optical sensors. The simplicity of the infrastructure is the strong selling point of Mimetik. Ideally, the customer does not invest anything in the infrastructure. They need only the gloves from Mimetik. They are wearable and not wired. They use communication and data interfaces that the customer already has. 
• This selling point will be amplified by the results of the ALMA project. Mimetik talked to many customers who cannot use the Mimetik solution immediately due to the communication network. Normally, the customers have a wifi network. But it is either too spatially separated or on the contrary too populated. In both cases, the customer prefers adding no extra wifi devices. 
• The resources of IMAGINE-B5G allow us to test Mimetik 5G solutions. This is very helpful since the customers normally do not provide their network for such tests. With the help of IMAGINE-B5G, it will be possible to make a case study as a proof point for Mimetik customers. This will allow us to build trust in early negotiations and accelerate the roll-out of Mimetik solutions. Also, it will allow addressing customers who cannot provide their wifi network because of performance or security reasons. Mimetik will effectively increase the number of potential users by 310%. This will include the customers with numbers of employees >1.000.
• At the societal level, Mimetik simplifies the workplaces by 24/7 real-time assistance. The education/experience barrier for job execution decreases. In this way, job vacancies become better accessible. Mimetik improves the inclusiveness. ALMA project creates a possibility to address new customers. Such customers can allow for Mimetik solutions only with 5G. By addressing such customers, Mimetik increases the number of potential users and consequently, more people will get the possibility of occupying job positions thanks to Mimetik. The additional Mimetik users are planned to comprise 67% of all users that Mimetik can address. The usage of 5G also improves the environmental sustainability. In comparison to wifi, 5G allows to an increase in the ratio of services delivered per energy unit and to decrease in CO2 emissions for a service load.
• At the technical level, Mimetik aims to implement a fully functional solution based on 5G that can be further deployed by Mimetik customers. The 5G capability is a new innovative product feature that opens many new business opportunities. In the process of adding the 5G feature, Mimetik will address the security questions. 100% of Mimetik users should be safe against security attacks. 5G will bring 99.99 % reliability to use more than 200 gloves on the same production floor.
• At the vertical areas level, Mimetik follows SDGs “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” and “Responsible Consumption and Production” by facilitating more efficient and sustainable manufacturing. Mimetik solution creates real-time data about the production state at the front-line in manufacturing that can be used to reduce wastage and increase efficiency through better planning. Mimetik itself features first-in-the-world data gloves with a deprecation period of 3 years of usage in harsh industrial environments. Mimetik gloves feature minimal wastage of mending and full recycling of their components. Mimetik contributes to SDG “Quality Education” by making the workplace training in manufacturing more accessible (mitigated bottleneck of trainer availability and reduced training cost). Mimetik also increases the quality of training by harmonising the training, i.e. offering a unified training program for every trainee based on the best practices of professionals. Finally, Mimetik contributes to “Decent work and economic growth” by reducing the experience/education barrier for job vacancies. Indeed, there are not sufficient engineers in EU. 67%2 the EU declared a severe shortage of industrial machinery mechanics. The mission of Mimetik is to simplify the assembly workplaces with the 24/7 assistance of assembly workers. This increases the pool of job candidates, facilitates the filling of job positions, reduces unemployment, and stimulates economic growth. The contribution of this project opens more business opportunities for Mimeitk and intensifies the benefit of all SDGs mentioned above.

This project has already started its work in the IMAGINE-B5G first open call. If you want to learn more about this and the other selected projects stay tuned to our website and our social media channels.