On Monday, we were joined by Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at the new 5G Immersive Lab in Newcastle City Centre.  

The state-of-the-art innovation lab, based in Newcastle’s Eldon Square, is helping SMEs to explore and de-risk the adoption of 5G and immersive technologies, accelerating the practical application of deep tech across key industries and enabling companies in the North East to scale faster.

Businesses hailing from traditional North East industries, namely in retail, agriculture and manufacturing, are being encouraged to engage with and benefit from the lab, which houses Digital Catapult tech expertise and assets, as well as enhanced 5G capabilities provided by Vodafone 5GSA.

Jenna Ingoe, Innovation Manager, Digital Catapult 5G Immersive Lab, commented:

"Our role is to make exploring new technology easy and accessible. We want companies to come and understand the potential of 5G and immersive technologies and that’s why we’re in the middle of Newcastle’s busiest shopping centre.”

With a view to boosting digital skills, productivity and innovation across the North East region, Sir Chris Bryant’s visit follows the Labour Party Conference, where the Minister made clear the ambition to improve connectivity across the country.

During the visit, the Minister explored the innovative work of leading regional tech companies which are developing transformative solutions across consumer and training experiences. A futuristic showcase of Augmented Reality (AR), presented by local tech company Aircards, allowed the Minister to interact with the latest in ‘smart mirror’ technologies. The Minister also experienced a virtual hazard perception training exercise created by fellow North East innovator Luminous XR. The demonstrations provided a glimpse into the future of workforce training, immersive learning and a taste of how businesses from across the region can benefit from the new lab.

Commenting on the visit, Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:  

“It’s not easy to blow my socks off, but that’s what this did. It is fantastic to see first-hand digital innovation happening in the heart of Newcastle, which is a testament to the region’s ambition to help home-grown businesses to flourish. Above all, it was great to see completely commercial products being developed by companies working alongside the local authorities to build the businesses of the future."

“This government is on a mission to generate sustained economic growth in every corner of the UK, and the Digital Catapult innovators I have met are helping us do so by leveraging regional talent to boost growth in the North East and beyond.”

Jessica Driscoll, Director of Immersive Technology at Digital Catapult, said:

“Immersive technology is reshaping industries across the UK with tools and processes that come from the creative industries being used in more industrial use cases, driving innovation and unlocking new economic opportunities. The 5G Immersive Lab will be a hub that will give businesses hands-on opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and accelerate the practical adoption of technologies to drive growth.”  

Final Thoughts

If you would like to learn more about the 5G Immersive Lab, please check out the webpage here or pop by and visit us in Eldon Square, Newcastle.

We are currently running a whole host of activities to allow SMEs to explore, test out and adopt 5G and immersive technologies. Our next workshop is focused around the agriculture sector and will take place on the 16^th of October.  

Got any specific questions? Get in touch with our Programme Manager, Jenna Ingroe at: jenna.ingoe@sunderlandsoftwarecity.com