Exploring New Technologies at Coventry University’s 5G Bootcamp

01 September 2022

Building on an established relationship with Coventry University, we were thrilled to be part of its recent 5G Bootcamp, a training and prototyping project aimed at encouraging local arts organisations to explore the creative potential of 5G technology, which is rapidly expanding in Coventry city centre.

The programme began with a week of intensive learning, including talks from a range of experts introducing us both to what’s available now and will be in the near future. We were also given opportunities to try out a range of tools for ourselves, including AR software, VR headsets and handsets, and AI image generation programmes.

For us, one of the most exciting things about the bootcamp was discovering how accessible a lot of the technology is becoming, with VR kit now more affordable than ever, and many of the basic software packages being available for free non-commercial use. 

Advances in Edge and cloud computing coupled with 5G technology also offer the potential to connect with more people quickly, demanding less processing power from user devices as processing is moved into the cloud. 

As well as gaining access to the university’s kit and expertise, we really enjoyed learning alongside other arts and culture organisations in the city and thinking about possibilities for collaboration. 

We left the session with our heads buzzing with ideas, and our next step is to start fleshing out our own ideas for a digital project making use of 5G technology. We’re looking forward to getting started!