ISL Networks Partners with Nihon System Development to Launch 'Real-Time Control Platform for AI-Era Factories and Logistics Warehouses'

1. Overview

ISL Networks Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative Director & CEO: Takuya Inoue, Representative Director & CTO: Keiichi Kubota, hereinafter ISL Networks) has partnered with Nihon System Development Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Aichi Prefecture, Representative Director: Takefumi Ito, hereinafter Nihon System Development) to launch the 'Real-Time Control Platform for AI-Era Factories and Logistics Warehouses.'

This solution integrates ISL Networks' industrial 5G communication platform 'ISLN 5G Industry' with Nihon System Development's autonomous control technology using Physical AI.

This control platform connects AGVs/AMRs, robots, PLCs, AI cameras, and various sensors in real-time to factory management systems and other industrial equipment, realizing a next-generation industrial infrastructure where AI recognizes, judges, and controls on-site conditions.

Furthermore, following the 'Akasaka Lab' in Minato-ku, Tokyo, both companies plan to open a joint lab in the Nagoya area, a manufacturing hub. The new lab will provide live demonstrations and PoC environments for AGV/AMR coordinated control, industrial 5G, Physical AI, and digital twins, targeting automotive OEMs and manufacturers.

2. New Industrial Infrastructure Required for the AI Era

In recent years, the evolution of AI technology has rapidly accelerated AI adoption in the manufacturing and logistics industries. However, most current AI applications remain limited to 'analytical AI' such as data analysis, anomaly detection, demand forecasting, and quality analysis.

Overseas, the era of Physical AI and AIoT, where AI controls on-site equipment in real-time, has already arrived. This includes AGVs and humanoid robots autonomously changing transport plans, robots optimizing work sequences, AI optimizing the entire flow of a logistics warehouse, and production equipment operating autonomously through mutual coordination.

To achieve this, a real-time control platform capable of reflecting AI decisions on-site within milliseconds is essential.

3. Why Conventional Networks Cannot Achieve This

For real-time control by AI, communication latency, jitter (communication variation), and time synchronization accuracy are extremely critical.

For example, if multiple AGVs pass through the same intersection, a delay of 100ms creates a collision risk. Furthermore, if communication timing between devices is misaligned, overall optimization collapses.

With conventional Wi-Fi or best-effort networks, it has been difficult to reliably reflect AI decisions on-site.

4. Collaboration Details

In this collaboration, the two companies will assume the following roles.

ISL Networks

ISL Networks provides the 3GPP-compliant industrial 5G solution 'ISLN 5G Control / Industry' that completely wirelesses factories and warehouses.

This system achieves highly reliable real-time communication for AGVs/AMRs and high-precision time synchronization over the millisecond-level low-latency communication provided by industrial 5G, enabling the wirelessization of control systems previously realized with wired Ethernet cables.

Nihon System Development

Nihon System Development provides an AGV/AMR coordinated control system utilizing Physical AI.

Physical AI executes route optimization between AGVs, obstacle/congestion avoidance, task reassignment, and autonomous decision-making during abnormalities in real-time, realizing transport optimization across the entire factory.

For example, if an AGV stops, the AI analyzes the overall transport situation in the factory and immediately reassigns the transport task to another AGV, reducing the risk of production stoppage.

5. Real-Time Control Platform for AI-Era Factories and Logistics Warehouses

The rapid evolution of generative AI and Physical AI marks a major turning point for the industrial sector.

Until now, AI has been used as a 'tool to support human decision-making' for quality analysis, demand forecasting, and anomaly detection. However, the future will shift to an era where AI collects and analyzes on-site data in real-time, directly controls on-site equipment and robots, and autonomously optimizes entire factories and logistics warehouses.

For example, on the manufacturing floor, AGVs/AMRs autonomously change transport plans, robots optimize work sequences according to production status, AI analyzes equipment operation status and dynamically controls production lines, and multiple pieces of equipment operate autonomously while inter-coordinating.

In logistics warehouses, advanced operations are required, such as integrated control of hundreds of transport robots, real-time optimization of picking operations, AI autonomously reconfiguring the entire logistics flow of the warehouse, and immediately responding to sudden shipment fluctuations.

To solve these challenges, ISL Networks and Nihon System Development will jointly provide the 'Real-Time Control Platform for AI-Era Factories and Logistics Warehouses.'

6. Intended Use Cases

The companies' solution aims to realize smart factories as follows:

- Real-time coordinated control of AGVs/AMRs
- Wirelessization of factory equipment and PLCs
- Real-time linkage with AI image analysis
- Digital twin linkage
- Flexible production line changes (layout-free)
- Factory optimization through Physical AI and AIoT
- Real-time connection of overall process management and execution systems like MES, WES, and WMS with the shop floor

This will achieve improved productivity, labor savings, and increased equipment flexibility.

7. Nagoya Lab Opening

Following the existing 'Akasaka Lab,' both companies plan to open a new smart factory verification lab within Nihon System Development's premises in Nagoya.

Planned Location: Inside Nihon System Development Co., Ltd., Nagoya International Center Building, 1-47-1 Nagono, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture (planned)

The Nagoya Lab will provide demonstration and verification environments, primarily for automotive OEMs and supplier companies, including:

- AGV/AMR coordinated control live demo
- Real-time control via industrial 5G
- PLC, robot, and AI camera linkage
- Transport optimization using Physical AI
- Factory visualization via digital twin
- Factory wirelessization PoC

This will provide a space for manufacturers and logistics companies to experience and verify next-generation smart factory technologies in an environment close to actual manufacturing and logistics sites.

8. Partner Ecosystem Vision

Both companies aim to develop this platform not as a closed system for specific companies, but as an industrial platform for the AI era.

They will continue to actively promote alliances with the following companies:

- AGV/AMR manufacturers
- Industrial robot manufacturers
- PLC manufacturers
- AI software companies
- AI camera manufacturers
- Sensor manufacturers
- Digital twin vendors
- Cloud service providers
- System integrators

By building an open ecosystem where various devices and services can be connected, they will accelerate the digital transformation of Japan's manufacturing and logistics industries.