Development of a Teaching Factory Framework Fusing a Virtual Simulated Machine Shop With The Physical Counterpart For Upscaling Human Machine Interface

Communication latency has been a significant barrier for many applications deployed in various network domains over the last few years. Until now, Internet of Things (IoT) enabled the interconnection of low-power, sensors of limited transition and latency-tolerant smart devices. However, despite the development of communication protocols and standards, the latency problem still exists, decreasing the Quality of Services (QoS) and Quality of experience (QoE) in many applications. Therefore, high availability, security and ultra-fast reaction times offered by the Tactile Internet, will offer new dimension to human-to machine interaction by enabling haptic and tactile sensations. Furthermore, the fifth generation (5G) mobile communications systems will support this emerging Internet at the wireless edge. Therefore, Tactile Internet can be used as backbone for delay mitigation in cooperation with 5G networks, especially for ultra-reliable low-latency applications such as Smart Healthcare, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and Smart Education and e-Learning. To address these challenges, this paper is focused on the identification of the challenges and opportunities underlined by the integration of the Tactile Internet and the emerging 5G systems in modern education. Moreover, the paper outlines the key technical requirements, frameworks, and architectural approaches for the implementation of the Teaching Factory Network with the next generation 5G network capabilities. Under the scope of Teaching Factory, a framework for the fusion of a virtual, simulated machine shop to its physical counterpart is presented, highlighting the key aspects for the successful Human Machine Interface and the communication of the physical and digital machine shop in real-time.