Back in 2015, Nokia launched OzoVR, a $60,000 professional-grade VR camera. However, in 2017, the company exited the market to focus more on digital health technology. Now, the company has decided to try again and has just announced the launch of "the world's first 5G 360° camera for industrial use."
It's called the Nokia 360 Camera, and it can play 8K video with spatial audio in real time and with low connection latency. There are several different connectivity options to choose from: 5G, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet. The Wi-Fi-only model is the cheapest, but as an industrial device, it's out of reach for the average consumer. The 5G version can withstand extreme temperatures.
The camera overall is very sturdy, with an IP67 waterproof rating, and it's also shockproof. It is also protected against different types of dangers – it has cybersecurity software and built-in security hardware.
The Nokia 360 camera is designed to work with the Nokia Real-time Xtended Reality Multimedia (RXRM) software solution. This allows it to be used for remote operation of industrial equipment, deployed for remote monitoring and inspection, and situational awareness.
The platform provides 360° video and 3DOZOAudio and helps companies build analytics, overlays, extended reality and other capabilities on top of it.
Nokia 360 cameras have been deployed at Pyhäsalmi Mine, Europe’s deepest mine, where Finnish company Callio Pyhäjärvi uses them for research and development and remote operations training.
Sami Ranta, general manager of Nokia RXRM, said: "Nokia RXRM helps industrial customers enhance business processes and save costs from product support to field operations. Now, adding 5G-enabled industrial camera products to RXRM can provide a complete solution for real-time remote use cases such as situational awareness, remote monitoring, remote operations and stadium-scale sports and entertainment events."