Brazil set to become innovation hub

Brazil is set to become an innovation hub for the telecommunications sector following the opening of the Center for Research in Engineering Smart Networks and Services 2030 (SMARTNESS). A collaboration between Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), The State University of Campinas (Unicamp) and São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (FAPESP), the SMARTNESS Engineering Research Center will accelerate Latin America’s technology leadership by driving advancements in the field of telecom research and development.

Located at Unicamp Campinas in São Paulo, the SMARTNESS center will operate as one of Ericsson’s key global research sites, dedicated to the sharing and transfer of technical knowledge. The center will bring together some of the most experienced researchers in the country in the construction of a new network platform enabled to empower 5G, as well as explore revolutionary 6G use cases.

The team will consist of researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP), the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), in addition to approximately 50 associated researchers from 15 other Brazilian academic institutions, and a team of experienced national and foreign researchers from Ericsson Research.

Ericsson was responsible for implementing all the technological infrastructure necessary for groundbreaking research work. Ericsson’s global leadership in 5G technology will make possible the exploration of artificial intelligence-oriented cognitive architectures in building more secure, highly automated, data-driven, and more energy-efficient networks. With the expected scientific and technological advances, networks will gradually become cognitive systems with the ability to acquire new knowledge and act autonomously. Networks will become the basic infrastructure for a truly digital society.

The SMARTNESS center will be run by Prof. Christian Rodolfo Esteve Rothenberg, professor at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering (FEEC) and will feature Maria Valéria Marquezini, Master Researcher of Ericsson as vice-director.

Prof. Christian Rodolfo Esteve Rothenberg says: “Our vision is for SMARTNESS to become a differentiated place to explore many of the research challenges and opportunities that are not fully covered today, focusing on strategic areas where scientific and technological impacts can be made possible by 2030, in collaboration with cloud computing research communities and communication networks.”

Edvaldo Santos, Head of R&D&I at Ericsson LATAM South, says: “The initiative, also unprecedented in Latin America, is born as a state-of-the-art research hub, focusing on the development of advanced mobile connectivity services from different perspectives of industry, academia and society, and will enable important advances in the field of research and development, strengthening Brazil’s overall competitiveness.”

CT Bureau