Zeetta showcases Augmented Reality at IBC'19

5G-enabled Smart Tourism consortium showcase ground-breaking Augmented Reality technology at IBC2019

12 April 2019: Delegates at IBC2019 in Amsterdam this September (13th-17th) will have the opportunity to experience a live demonstration of the augmented reality (AR) application developed by BBC R&D and Aardman Animations, running over a simulated 5G network delivered by the University of Bristol Smart Internet Lab, CCS and Zeetta Networks. The ground-breaking Smart Tourism project formed part of the UK Government’s Phase 1 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, and was recently featured in Computer Weekly.

BBC R&D and Oscar-winning Aardman Animations developed an immersive AR application that enabled visitors to use their smartphones and devices to visualise the World Heritage Roman Baths at the city of Bath through various stages of history. Since AR applications are data-hungry, sensitive to network latency and can rapidly drain smartphone batteries. The Smart Internet Lab, Zeetta Networks and CCS developed a 5G Network architecture using Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) that made it possible for tourists to enjoy their experience while making it commercially viable.

Zeetta Networks recently led a project at the Bristol Harbour Festival – attended by 250,000 visitors – as a testbed for high-definition media streaming to show the capabilities of 5G networks. Working with the Smart Internet Lab, CCS, and Mativision, Zeetta Networks enabled visitors to see a 360-degree view of each of the main stages to enhance the visitor experience and accessibility. This innovation will also be showcased at IBC.

Vassilis Seferidis, CEO of Zeetta Networks, commented: “This project demonstrated how media technology can enhance the tourist experience and create new revenue opportunities. Many cities and towns around the world are looking to increase visitor numbers, and our contribution to this technology is an innovative way to enhance the experience of those who explore new places. We look forward to demonstrating our technology at IBC.”

Professor Dimitra Simeonidou, Director of the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol, said: “We are delighted to be taking part in IBC 2019, together with our partners in 5G Smart Tourism project. The Smart Internet Lab has designed and deployed the 5G network infrastructure for the project, which transformed visitors’ experiences in tourist venues such as the Pump Rooms in Bath. The University has pioneered research on 5G technologies, and experiments on its 5GUK Test Network, the UK’s first urban 5G End-to-End Testbed, delivering international and national impact.”

CSS Executive Chairman Martin Harriman added: “The immersive experience delivered by the 5G Smart Tourism project team has received wide industry recognition for its landmark capabilities, and we are delighted to be bringing our compelling demonstration to IBC2019. Ubiquitous high-speed connectivity is central to the delivery of these new and exciting Smart Tourism services, and CCS is proud to be playing a key role in making these emerging and game-changing applications a reality.”

At the IBC Media -Telecoms Catalyst zone, the project partners will be showcasing the evolution of one of six Phase 1 5G Testbeds and Trials, commissioned by the UK Government. The 5G Smart Tourism project has now been extended to investigate commercial scalability and the behaviour of 5G in the hyper-congested networks found at concerts, sporting, and cultural events.

Representatives from BBC R&D, Smart Internet Labs, Cambridge Communications Systems (CCS) and Zeetta Networks will be attending IBC. Come and meet us to experience this technology for yourself at the Media-Telecoms Catalyst Zone in Hall 9.

If you are not attending IBC but you would like to talk to us about 5G Smart Tourism, Network Slicing or why 5G is the best technology for A/R Smart Tourism applications, get in touch.

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About Smart Internet Lab 
The Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol is a hub for internet research which addresses grand societal and industrial challenges. We perform cutting edge research on optical and wireless communications and offer a unique holistic approach to hardware and software co-design, solving critical problems in the global internet evolution. We are world leaders in 5G convergence research and have deployed 5G capability in Bristol city centre focusing on the convergence of fibre infrastructure and 5G wireless access. The University of Bristol’s 5GUK Test Network is the UK’s first urban 5G End-to-End Testbed.

About Aardman
Aardman, based in Bristol (UK) and co-founded in 1976 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, is an independent and multi-award-winning studio. It produces feature films, series, advertising, interactive entertainment and attractions for both the domestic and international markets. Their productions are novel, entertaining, brilliantly characterised and full of charm reflecting the unique talent, energy and personal commitment of the Aardman team. The studio’s work is often imitated and yet the company continues to lead the field producing a rare brand of visually stunning content for cinema, broadcasters, digital platforms and live experiences around the world. In November 2018, Aardman became an Employee Owned organisation, ensuring that the studio remains independent and securing the creative legacy and culture of the company for the future.

About BBC R&D
BBC Research & Development plays a key role in shaping the future of media technology. It develops and licenses prototype systems to bring new and improved forms of content to our audiences as well as influencing international standards. It advises the BBC on what is coming in the future: what it needs to be involved in and influencing, what the winning and losing technologies are likely to be and what the corporation needs to lead, follow or ignore. www.bbc.co.uk/rd

About Cambridge Communication Systems Ltd.
CCS (Cambridge Communication Systems) is the creator of Metnet – the world’s first self-organising mmWave mesh for Gigabit backhaul and access applications. From dense urban cities to rural communities, Metnet can be deployed for 4G LTE and 5G small cell backhaul, Enterprise and Residential Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), Smart City, Wi-Fi and CCTV backhaul.

In major live deployments, Metnet is powering networks to mmWave 5G performance – intuitively, scalably, flexibly and cost-effectively. Delivering high capacity, ultra-low latency and ultra-fast deployment, Metnet is optimised for performance edge and multigigabit capacity.

Metnet’s proven capability is trusted at the heart of some of the world’s most demanding and data-heavy networks, including a pre-5G network for Telefonica O2 in London, at the heart of the world’s largest financial centre.
With a unique self-organising mesh solution for enabling 5G – and beyond – CCS’s innovation and vision is delivering connectivity around the world.
For regular updates, follow us at twitter.com/ccs_multipoint

About Zeetta Networks
Zeetta Networks enables smarter networks. The company leads the development of open, programmable networks based on an advanced, patent-protected software controller called NetOS® that provides full network visibility, control and management through a single-pane-of-glass.

NetOS® enables network splicing® of any combination of network technologies (Fixed, Wireless and low-power IoT) to create a single virtualised network topology that can be then sliced into network slices (sub-networks) on demand to meet specific user or application requirements. The ability to dynamically slice and splice the network resources across wireless and fixed technologies is protected by the company’s patents.

Zeetta Networks commercially deployed NetOS® in several enterprise projects across Europe and successfully demonstrated 5G Network Slicing in early 5G testbeds like the 5G Smart Tourism and 5G Rural First projects. NetOS® allows enterprises and service providers to control their fixed and wireless networks seamlessly, driving operational efficiencies and creating new monetisation opportunities. With the addition of NetOS Rapide, Zeetta Networks has extended its NetOS® product portfolio to support the creation and control of ad-hoc or “pop-up” networks.

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