This piece was originally published in the July/August 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Daniel Abbate and Steve Griffith, Industry Directors, NEMA
Each year the NEMA Strategic Initiatives program generates valuable market research, technical and policy reports, websites, educational toolkits, and more for the benefit of NEMA Members.
The 2020 Strategic Initiatives (SI) cover topics related to digitalization and the Internet of Things, market development, resilience, and workforce development. One example of a 2020 initiative is NEMA.Lab. This SI will establish a cross-domain, technology-based knowledge development, capture, and sharing forum on artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of wireless communication (5G). It will also research how these technologies will impact the next normal after COVID-19.
An AI research white paper is being developed for electrical equipment manufacturers. This document will discuss items such as:
- needed architecture for AI implementation and Standards gaps
- relevant current and future use cases/ applications
- technology adoption trends
- criteria manufacturers might wish to apply when making decisions to further automate processes
- challenges that apply across all markets that NEMA Member companies represent as well as those that are unique to a specific industry
Another part of NEMA.Lab is the development of a technical guidance document on 5G technology. This document will:
- provide relevant use cases/applications that apply across markets for electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers
- identify emerging Standards and regulations related to 5G as well as appropriate end users and the benefits they receive from implementing 5G technology
- map NEMA technical and policy priorities to help NEMA prioritize future 5G activities
- investigate how 5G can enable services across the full spectrum of healthcare from hospitals to urgent care clinics, long-term care facilities, and individual homes
- explore 5G as an enabler of smart manufacturing and industrial automation
More information about getting involved in NEMA Strategic Initiatives is available at www.nema.org/si. ei