CENGN, Ericsson add indoor positioning to 5G living lab

CENGN and Ericsson unveiled a new indoor advanced positioning service at Ottawa’s Bayview Yards, expanding a 5G living lab for Canadian startups and scaleups. The update is meant to help companies test and validate indoor-location applications for smart buildings, robotics and AI as they move toward commercialization.

Why it matters: - The new service gives Canadian startups and scaleups a way to test indoor location-based applications in a real-world environment before market launch. - CENGN says the living lab helps turn Canadian innovation into commercial products faster and supports technology adoption in sectors that rely on advanced connectivity. - The initiative is backed by federal funding and is aimed at helping more than 100 companies prepare products for commercialization and industry adoption.

What happened: - CENGN and Ericsson showcased Indoor Advanced Positioning at the CENGN 5G Advanced Living Lab in Bayview Yards, Ottawa’s innovation hub. - CENGN launched a call for proposals for Canadian startups and scaleups whose solutions can use indoor advanced positioning technology. - WeTraq, a Toronto company focused on predictive patient safety through IoT wearables, will be the first Canadian tech company to use the indoor positioning service in a CENGN project.

The details: - The CENGN 5G Advanced Living Lab runs on Ericsson Private 5G technology. - The lab offers advanced infrastructure, expert support and real-world testing environments. - The new indoor positioning service expands the lab’s portfolio for CENGN projects. - The service is designed to support use cases including integrated sensor and machine systems, autonomous stationary robotics and autonomous mobile robotics. - Last September, CENGN expanded its services with the 5G Advanced Performance Living Lab, also powered by Ericsson. - That lab provides pre-commercial 5G testing across low-band, mid-band, including NCLL, and high-band mmWave frequencies through ISED licensing and experimental bands. - CENGN says startups and scaleups can access the living labs through Innovation Projects or Adoption Projects. - Innovation Projects let companies test, validate and certify solutions for market entry or expansion. - Adoption Projects pair startups with potential customers to test solutions against customer needs and requirements. - The federal government’s Strategic Response Fund provides $45 million for CENGN’s national Living Lab Initiative. - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s investment includes co-investment funding of up to $250,000 CAD for startups and scaleups and up to $500,000 CAD for adoption-focused projects. - CENGN says the program is intended to accelerate Canadian industry’s technology transformation and support commercialization through Innovation and Adoption Projects. - CENGN says the initiative is expected to generate GDP growth, protect tech jobs, launch Canadian products globally, create IP patents, increase sales and follow-on investment, accelerate technology readiness levels and move skilled workers into digital roles. - The living labs are connected to a pan-Canadian ecosystem of tech organizations, innovation hubs and sector-focused groups. - Ericsson Canada says the new positioning service will help applications in AI, robotics, automation and sensors become market viable across sectors.

Between the lines: - The lab’s expansion shows how 5G infrastructure is moving from network speed to practical enterprise applications. - Indoor positioning is especially relevant in places where GPS fails, which makes the technology useful for healthcare, automation and smart-building systems. - CENGN’s partner model suggests the organization is trying to reduce the gap between lab testing and customer adoption, not just demo technology. - Ericsson’s role reinforces its strategy of tying 5G infrastructure to Canadian innovation and commercial deployment.

What's next: - Canadian startups and scaleups can apply for CENGN Living Lab projects that use indoor advanced positioning. - More companies are expected to test solutions in Bayview Yards as the service becomes part of the lab’s standard offering. - CENGN will continue using federal funding and partner ecosystems to expand validation opportunities for Canadian tech firms. - The first project with WeTraq will serve as an early example of how the service can be used in healthcare environments.

The bottom line: - CENGN and Ericsson are broadening Canada’s 5G testing toolkit with indoor positioning, giving startups a more realistic path from prototype to market.