• Post category:Articles
  • Post published:19.6.2024

Test before you invest

The Location Innovation Hub offers its clients a range of test environments to test ideas and their potential for innovation, and to see how technology can be used to drive business.

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The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) operates the smart farming test platform in Jokioinen. Photo: Raimo Linkolehto, Luke

The test environments enable businesses and public administrations to test and develop new location-based applications and services. The environments can be deployed with a low threshold and they can provide valuable feedback and ideas for further development. The test environments are mainly free of charge for Location Innovation Hub customers.

A wide range of possibilities are offered by a total of six test environment categories:

  1. High-Performance Computing and AI: These are suitable, for example, for data analysis requiring high computing power and using artificial intelligence such as machine learning and deep learning.
  2. GIS Platforms and API software: This category provides test environments for experimenting with different platforms for managing, analysing and publishing location data, as well as APIs for developing and integrating geospatial applications.
  3. Data Visualisation Environments: These can be used to experiment with different ways of effectively visualising and presenting geospatial data for different purposes, such as supporting decision making or raising awareness.
  4. Forest and Agriculture Test Environments: This category offers opportunities for testing geospatial solutions in the forestry and agriculture sectors and can be used, for example, for analysing tree stands, monitoring crops, operating new machinery and optimising agricultural and forestry resources.
  5. Urban Test Environments: These environments can be used to test geospatial solutions in urban environments, such as traffic management, autonomous vehicles, urban planning and development of citizen services.
  6. Navigation and Positioning Test Environments: This category enables testing and developing geospatial navigation and positioning applications in different environments, including indoor environments.

Contact us to find out how the test environments can help your business!

Here are some examples:

Jokioinen plant production research infrastructure

Jokioinen has comprehensive research platforms for the bioeconomy and food system. With 860 ha of arable land, it hosts research infrastructure for agricultural modeling, technology, environment, and crop production. Visit Luke’s website for more information.

Measuring field references. Photo: Pasi Suomi, Luke

Indoor positioning test framework

FGI has developed a modular, scalable and easily extendable system to test indoor positioning software and hardware innovations.

The goal of the system is to facilitate testing, development and benchmarking of indoor positioning solutions at all levels:

  • Hardware
  • Software & algorithms
  • Applications & UI
Toni Hammarberg and Tuomo Malkamäki from the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute FGI presented the new indoor positioning test framework at a launch event in May 2024.

The system currently includes UWB and Bluetooth AOA functionality and allows easy addition of other solutions and sensors, many of which FGI can provide. The system is designed for semi-permanent installation in Otaniemi premises, but a subset can be made portable. The system can be tested by suppliers of indoor positioning technologies and applications, mainly at FGI’s Otaniemi campus. This enables, e.g. testing of application ideas for a start-up without own infrastructure. FGI provides support, including testing and development support to Location Innovation Hub clients.

To get access to the system, please fill in the Location Innovation Hub contact form and tell us more about your requirements. We will contact you and agree on testing.