Maynooth University opened Ireland’s National 5G Test Centre. The facility called RadioSpace, represents an investment of €1.5 million. The centre is the country’s first large-scale facility for the research and testing of radio and wireless technologies needed for 5G and the future Internet of Things.
RadioSpace, the 5G facility at Maynooth University will be open to enterprises, SMEs and start-ups. It will provide a large scale, interference-free facility for scientists and engineers from industry and universities, in Ireland and internationally. It will be one of the first of its kind in Europe.
The facility consists of a specially constructed anechoic chamber that provides perfect isolation for radio signals. Nothing can enter and nothing can leave. With the advanced test equipment and specialist engineers, this allows for very sensitive measurements to be made. Essential for the development of modern wireless devices.
RadioSpace – connecting industry and academia
RadioSpace connects industry and academic researchers. The aim, to address the full range of challenges developing new technologies and products for next generation of wireless devices. RadioSpace is designed to provide a full range of services to developers of 4G mobile networks, IoT enabled products and future 5G and mmWave devices.
The €1.5 million facility, which has received €638,000 funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), is part of CONNECT – the world-leading SFI Research Centre for Future Networks and Communications.
This service is available to SMEs, and access can be facilitated via the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher scheme. This ensures that both SMEs and larger organisations can avail of the technology and expertise of researchers in Maynooth University.
5G Test Centre – excellence for all
According to Professor Philip Nolan, President of Maynooth University, “This facility will serve as the National 5G Test Centre for Ireland, providing a space for next-generation wireless technologies to be tested, refined and applied on an international scale. I’m pleased to say that RadioSpace will be available to all those who can make good use of it. From leading researchers and innovators to students just starting their careers, from the largest multinational to the smallest of start-ups. Until now Irish industry working in this space has needed look abroad to avail of similar facilities. I’m proud we are now in a position to provide this centre of excellence right here in Maynooth.”
Professor Ronan Farrell, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and Director of RadioSpace, said companies also have access to academic experts in the area of wireless communications. “This facility will provide industry in Ireland and academics across Europe, a rare and valuable capability to develop new technologies. We are also looking to explore exciting questions in radio physics and engineering. We look forward to RadioSpace being a catalyst for increased collaboration between academia and industry, nationally and internationally.”
Dr Ciarán Seoighe, Deputy Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, commented, “Ireland has a rich community of creative, talented experts. These experts are developing cutting-edge technology that will help us prepare for an ever more data-rich digital future. SFI currently funds an array of research programmes using smart sensors and data dependent analytics. This research will be at the core of future jobs and addressing major societal and economic challenges. It’s crucial that we give our community the resources, infrastructure and testbeds to continue to explore, research and create. I’m confident that the new National 5G Test Centre will benefit Ireland’s research and innovation greatly.”
Enterprise Times: What this means for businesses?
5G is the newest generation of mobile networking. It’s been recently launched in the UK and works on higher frequencies and more of them. 5G has the potential to bring faster, more reliable outdoor coverage to mobile networks and make IoT a reality.
Ireland’s National 5G Test Centre looks really really impressive on paper. It is a unique combination of state-of-the-art equipment and research excellence. RadioSpace is designed to provide a full range of services to developers of 5G mobile networks, IoT enabled products and future 5G and mmWave devices
This facility looks good and will assist Irish industry in developing future smart technology. Looking forward to hearing about future technology announcements by industry using this 5G centre.
