At the event in Barcelona, from February 25 to 28, the first results of a collaboration on IoT, Machine Learning, Intuitive 5G, AI and computer vision to enable Industry 4.0 use cases will be revealed

Milan, Italy – Exprivia | Italtel – an international group of Information and Communication Technology, in collaboration with Cisco has launched a strategic collaboration with FANUC, a Japanese multinational which specializes in factory automation and the production of industrial robots, and Elettric80, a company specialized in industrial automation, to drive the integration of digital technologies into industrial environments and empower Industry 4.0 use cases.

The first result of this collaboration will be showcased at the Exprivia | Italtel stand (Hall 2, Stand G10) during Mobile World Congress 2019, in the form of “FANUC CR-4iA” ‘Cobot’ (collaboration robot), which leverages 5G intelligent networks and can be controlled through connected conversation commands like chatbots and vocal-recognition technology developed by Exprivia |Italtel. Leveraging Cisco’s 5G network infrastructure, the network provides the reduced latency, flexibility and programmability which can integrate Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision technologies – enabling the 'cobot' to identify, grasp and position the correct waffle based on color recognition.

The cobot can also react to voice requests made by the user. The ability to interact vocally is made possible by Cisco’s "Cisco WebEx Teams" and "Questit Qplus" solutions, as well as voice assistants. The implementation of computer vision is a distinctive element of the solution, as the robot is equipped with a vision sensor. The combination of this and 'cobot' creates a series of tools which can collect and strategically analyze data generated by machines and devices connected to the associated production network – increasing the productivity and profitability of factories. The collaboration with Elettric80 is essential in developing the direct innovative applications that can solve problems encountered by customers in the field, at numerous automated production plants worldwide.

Gerardo Del Vecchio, Head of Partnership and Ecosystem Management of the Exprivia | Italtel group, said: "The collaboration with FANUC, which we hope will consolidate over time both from a commercial and technological point of view, allows us to be at the side of the most virtuous companies which are turning their attention to an ultra-connected industrial model. The integration of IoT solutions will be the true accelerator of competitiveness and growth on the path to Industry 4.0".

"The key to success is through collaboration and integration of skills in different fields, which are united in the joint effort to make factories more productive and efficient,” said Marco Ghirardello, General Manager of FANUC Italia and Vice President of FANUC Europe. “We have chosen Exprivia | Italtel as a partner, which ensures FANUC's technological solutions have the most advanced connectivity features and can be easily implemented in even the most demanding IoT architectures".

Raffaello Sernicola, Telco Innovation Leader of Cisco Systems, Italy: "The advent of 5G allows the development of innovative solutions in the area of Enterprise 4.0 which was previously not possible. Thanks to the collaboration of the various technological and integration partners, both in the field of industrial automation and telecommunication, it will bring benefits to end customers in terms of increased production and cost reduction. " Marco Casarini, Technical Director of Elettric80: "The synergy between innovation in automation and communication enables new scenarios for monitoring and remote control of systems with benefits for all those involved in the supply chain".

At Mobile World Congress, it will be also on display FANUC’s ZDT (Zero Down Time) management panel that activates remote cloud monitoring of robots, as well as monitoring of productivity and usury in real-time. The software is based on the FANUC MT-Linki platform which enables the networking of machines and devices by monitoring their operations and collecting data. The platform leverages Mobile Access Edge Computing 5G technology by CISCO to enable real-time data collection and proactive processing closer to the factory.

In addition, the Cisco Ultra Domain Center solution allows end-users to safely and autonomously manage devices connected to the 5G network by simply assigning access rules to devices and data. Del Vecchio added: “Machine Learning, AI and Computer Vision technologies, along with the development of FANUC's IoT solutions for automation, are enabling factors that companies will be able to exploit, thanks to the diffusion of 5G, the new generation network that will soon be available. This is why Exprivia | Italtel is directing its investments towards this area, as well as combining Italtel’s expertise in the infrastructural aspects of the 5G network with Exprivia’s know-how in the application field to ensure operators can enjoy the opportunities optimization of key processes brings”.

The demonstrations will take place at Exprivia | Italtel’s stand (2G10, Hall 2) at Mobile World Congress, which takes place at the Fira Gran, in Barcelona, Spain, from Monday, February 25 to Thursday, February 28.