Insights from Cambridge Wireless Robotics, June 2025
On June 30, Cambridge Wireless (CW), the renowned tech hub connecting academia, industry and innovators, hosted a compelling seminar on robotics and their real-world applications. As a member, Koen Mioulet attended on behalf of PRIMMA to explore the latest developments in automation.
The day was packed with fascinating use cases: from university projects on swarming algorithms to robots performing delicate tasks like harvesting strawberries and cherries, a sector hungry for efficiency gains. One standout: swarms of small robots tackling tasks together, steered by intricate algorithms.
But here’s what really struck us:
Almost every presenter wrestled with data transmission problems.
Multiple presenters were struggling with the transmission of the many data that the robots produce, the high throughput, low latency, reliable coverage, etc. Typically, the kind of KPI’s that a private 5G can deliver. However, these presenters were unaware of the availability and potential of private 5G. They knew for instance of wifi but struggled with the lack of deterministic performance of wifi. They did think of cellular but implicitly of that of MNO’s, presuming that the spectrum access would be unaffordable for a private application.
Yet none were aware of private 5G.
That’s a missed opportunity. Because whether out in the orchard or on a factory floor, private 5G was built precisely for this, delivering guaranteed KPIs for automation, robotics, and machine control.
It’s a clear call to action for all of us in private wireless.
Even industries right next door to our world still need to learn how private 5G can unlock their automation ambitions. That’s where associations like PRIMMA come in: spreading the word, building awareness, and showing these innovators that the network they need already exists.