Wireless communication is becoming increasingly important in the context of Industry 4.0. To date, however, there has been a lack of standardized methods and procedures and of systems for measuring the reliability and general performance of wireless systems in industrial scenarios. Over the last three years, this problem has been addressed as part of the ReICOvAir (Reliable Industrial Communication Over the Air) research project , led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, with the development of a prototype of an appropriate test system. This new test system consists of a software-based and a hardware-based test bed solution and is designed to enable companies to evaluate the suitability of transmission systems for their respective purpose. In addition, ReICOvAir also helps standardization bodies develop appropriate standards.

The project was carried out within the framework of the European Celtic-Next program and financed through public and private funding, including from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The project consortium also comprised research and industry partners from Germany, Finland, and Spain.