Nokia, a major telecom gear maker, along with AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) @ the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) demonstrated two innovative use cases of 5G at the ongoing India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022. 5G was launched in India at this very event by PM Modi on October 1, 2022. The two use cases displayed by Nokia and ARTPARK@IISc were: a) Robotic Telepresence for seamless workplace interactions in a hybrid setup and Network as a “Third Eye” to automate manual warehousing processes. As part of the first use case, AHAM Robotics, a venture incubated at ARTPARK, showcased robotic teleportation solution which provides real-time, virtual teleportation that enables untethered collaboration between people in different geographical locations. The solution enables users to move around during the meeting physically, and permits more versatile interactions and use cases than the usual web meetings. The demos allowed visitors in IMC to enjoy live interactions with exhibitors in IISc via robotic teleportation. In the second use case, ARTPARK showcased how blind robots can still work autonomously by using advanced network-enabled perception. Such technologies, enabled by advanced, low latency and ultra-reliable services in 5G, will help cost-effective and efficient automation of warehousing functions. The demo showcased how a simple robot with no in-built vision capability, could still use cameras installed outside (third eye) and have meaningful interactions with visitors. Professor Bharadwaj Amrutur, Research Head, ARTPARK, Professor, IISc, “As workplaces move towards a more hybrid setup, we will need tools to digitize global business communications to ensure productivity and profitability. This is where robotic teleportation comes into play. They offer both technological benefits and collaboration advantages, benefiting businesses and clients alike. Although video conferencing emerged as a saviour during the pandemic, allowing businesses to interact virtually, it won’t be enough to cater to the rapidly evolving needs of today’s hybrid world. AHAM Robotics, incubated at ARTPARK, aims to address this challenge by making the best of AI & robotics innovations to help businesses bridge their collaboration gaps.”
