MAVERIC

Middleware for automated use of edge resources in campus networks

© Project MAVERIC

Project description
Campus networks are the term used to describe telecommunication networks in a confined area that is under a single management, often a company that is in control of its own premises. The new fifth-generation mobile communications standard (5G) with all its technical improvements, but also a new, open approach (OpenRAN), promises new kinds of applications for this and allows innovations that were not possible in the formerly closed systems. The MAVERIC project uses this new, open approach and develops technologies for the flexible provision of the infrastructure of such 5G campus networks: depending on the industrial application, it should be possible to optimise computing capacity, storage capacity but also other aspects in particular.

Such different specifications are rooted in the applications. If a robot is to be controlled wirelessly, low delay is mandatory. If a decision is to be made on site, sometimes complex calculations have to be done directly in the network and cannot be processed remotely in a computer centre. If a lot of data accumulates in a short time, appropriate storage must be provided. The MAVERIC project has set itself the goal of developing software for 5G campus networks with a modular infrastructure that enables a lean and rapid assembly of the necessary subcomponents.

The project results are being tested in the challenging environment of shipbuilding, where there are many hurdles that a network must overcome in order to be able to meaningfully support applications in manufacturing. For example, a lot of metal is used, partly also in closed superstructures, which creates problems for the radio technology. The network itself is also special because it is mobile. When the ship leaves the dock, the installation and expansion phase is not yet complete. If you want to continue mobile communication on the ship, you literally have to take the network with you. In the process, the network's connection to the mainland may fail, change or drastically alter its quality of service. A mobile 5G campus network must therefore maintain sufficient resources to operate autonomously, but also be able to maintain and synchronise important data locally and offer services that are important for applications independently of the connection to the global internet.

Market perspective and product promise
A reliable, area-wide and high-performance network is the basis for the digitalisation of industry. However, industrial use cases often have many challenges that conventional network technology cannot adequately address. In contrast to WLAN, aspects such as the sole use of the frequency range provided, the higher range and the fact that 5G is a carrier-grade technology clearly speak in favour of the new radio standard. The project develops blueprints for setting up 5G networks in such difficult environments and validates them using the example of shipbuilding. To this end, technologies are being developed that enable new use cases in the industrial environment and also make mobile 5G campus networks feasible. These include, for example, technologies in the area of edge computing and storage. Selected applications (e.g. AR/VR in shipbuilding/construction) are being realised and tested as technology carriers. A particular focus is that it should be possible for companies to operate these networks and their applications on their own.

Challenge and innovation

• Large shipyard railing, multiple locations
• Metal ship hull, desire for connectivity down to the keel
• Mobile network (ship mobile during construction)
• Changing connectivity to the internet (satellite, microwave, fibre, etc.), also disconnection.

To deliver on the product promise, technologies are being developed in edge computing, intelligent management of connectivity to the internet and management of 5G campus networks.

Use case
The "shipbuilding" scenario use case is representative of the class of challenging scenarios in manufacturing where "pop-up networks" are deployed on demand and where return transport quality is unpredictable and not constant.
In these scenarios, however, there are high demands on reliability and availability from the user's point of view. For the use case "universal access to design plans", it should be ensured that all employees have access to the current documents at all times. This should be done without manual distribution of documents and their updates. For this purpose, the MAVERIC system shall automatically apply prefetching of information and distribution strategies as well as differential updates that can compensate for bottlenecks or even failures of backhaul connections.

Consortium
Xantaro Deutschland GmbH, NVL B.V. & Co. KG, HS Augsburg, HS Emden/Leer

Duration
April 2022 - March 2025

Budget
Total funds: 2.4 million €
Funding amount: 1.8 million €