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Commect

Subject areas: Economy, management, and innovation
Affiliation: Inland School of Business and Social Sciences

Forestry is now embracing remote control, digitalization, and augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) technologies through a new EU-led 5G project aimed at improving conditions for the forestry and timber industries.

Photo: https://www.horizoneurope-commect.eu/

Mål for prosjektet

CREDS is a part of an EuU-project that aims to streamline and enhance forestry and timber industry work processes using new mobile technology.

Bridging the digital divide and addressing the need of Rural Communities with Cost-effective and Environmental-Friendly Connectivity Solution (COMMECT).

Digital Solutions for Rural Areas

The need for high-speed broadband and reliable internet connectivity has increased significantly in recent years, with the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating the shift towards a more digital society. However, 13% of the population in Europe, particularly in rural and remote areas, still lacks access. COMMECT aims to bridge this digital divide by providing stable and secure connectivity in these underserved regions. This will be achieved by integrating Non-Terrestrial Networks with terrestrial XG networks and low-cost IoT technology.

Collaboration and Development

COMMECT is setting up five Living Labs across Europe to collaborate with end-users and experts in the digitalization of the agriculture and forestry sectors. The project will also develop a decision-making support tool to recommend the best connectivity solutions based on technical, economic, and environmental considerations. The goal is to create jobs, attract investments, and improve quality of life in rural areas, including healthcare, education, and public services.

Living Labs

The project’s Living Labs are located in five countries:

Luxembourg: Digitalization of viticulture
Norway: Connected forestry
Denmark: Smart livestock transport
Turkey: Smart olive tree farming
Serbia: Sustainable agriculture and nature preservation

Living Lab in Norway

Partners: Telenor, Klosser, and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

The Norwegian Living Lab focuses on supporting forestry operations through IoT, drone technology, and 5G private networks. This will provide forest machine operators with expert support and real-time situational awareness during operations. The project also enhances safety by monitoring forests for fires, floods, and other hazards.

Funding

EU logo This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement no. 101060881.