A 5G tech trial with the Australian Meat Processor Corporation and augmented intelligence company Bondi Labs will be developed, supplied, and installed by BAI Communications (BAI).

BAI will provide the end-to-end 5G communications network at two regional red meat processing plants that will deliver the high-speed connectivity required for smart verification technologies such as high-quality video streaming for remote auditing and compliance monitoring through computer vision technology.

Bondi Labs will develop and test two use cases:

• SmartInspect
  
• SmartPack

5G’s superior connectivity across regional and remote areas, which BAI has gained a lot of experience and knowledge in, will be critical for the trial. As a result, thorough animal checks can be completed by veterinary professionals.

The 5G Innovation Initiative, part of the Australian Government, provides firms with the chance to test and trial 5G applications across a variety of industries and locations.

According to Nick Gurney, Director of Telecommunications, BAI Communications Australia, Industry 4.0’s ever-improving digital technologies that use artificial intelligence (AI) will be on display at the trial.

BAI’s private 5G network solution is a future-proof technology that will deliver the interconnectivity, automation, and machine learning that regional meat processors and other industries need to realise the significant benefits and savings enabled by 5G use cases and Bondi Labs’ innovations.

“The meat processing industry is one of this country’s biggest manufacturing and agricultural export businesses, and it is vital to the economy.”

“Automated intelligence can bolster the industry’s excellent international reputation and provide increased employment security for thousands of workers in regional towns and cities,” says Gurney

Employees in the meat processing industry can use SmartInspect to conduct remote audits, inspections, and equipment maintenance as well as remote training and learning, saving a lot of time and money.

SmartPack uses AI to recognise different types of meat products and ensure that carton labels match carton contents exactly. This technology can recognise a wide range of characters, including Japanese and Mandarin characters, which reduces the likelihood of human error.

According to Bondi Labs’ Research and Engagement Manager, Dr Stuart Smith, the trial is significant in determining how 5G technology can be used in a processing facility.

“The Bondi Labs team is working on matching carton labels with the items they contain to ensure a high-bandwidth, stable internet connection provided by BAI Communications’ solution,” says Dr Smith

The trial can be set up onsite, with no disruption to processing operations, thanks to the solution. Using low-power 5G access points to provide in-building coverage, BAI will test the advantages of multi-access edge computing in a private 5G network.

It will also demonstrate the advantages of moving computing traffic and services closer to processing plant operators through multi-access edge computing in a private 5G network, all of which will take place in a regional meat processing plant.

In addition to negating the connectivity issues associated with being in a remote location, the BAI solution can handle theextreme temperatures and the large number of mechanical obstructions that are typically part of a meat processing plant set-up.

To achieve this high level of security, the solution can satisfy the industry’s stringent security requirements at each plant and at large.