ENSURE‑6G project delivers new solutions for resilient rail and logistics in northern regions
After several years of research, the ENSURE-6G project has come to an end. The project has developed and tested solutions for resilient connectivity, intelligent sensing and data-driven decision support for rail and logistics in northern Sweden and Finland.
ENSURE-6G brought together researchers and industrial partners to explore how future communication technologies can address challenges faced by industries operating in remote regions. The work covered terrestrial, satellite and high-altitude connectivity, intelligent sensing, data fusion and machine learning.
One of the project’s key results is the open Finland Integrated Train-Weather Dataset, containing approximately 38.5 million observations from Finland’s rail network between 2018 and 2024. The dataset provides a foundation for further research into railway operations and the factors affecting train delays.
The project also developed a low-cost system for estimating rail temperature and monitoring the risk of heat-related deformation. Field measurements showed that thermal cameras did not provide sufficiently reliable temperature estimates across the required range. Researchers therefore developed an alternative approach based on indirect sensing.
A prototype using a passive black steel bar and carefully selected time and seasonal features was able to estimate rail temperature with a mean absolute error of approximately 0.55°C. The result is a smaller, less expensive and more energy-efficient solution that is now undergoing further field trials in Sweden and Italy.
According to Nurul Mahmood, project leader, Oulu University, the project’s achievements extend beyond individual research results.
“ENSURE-6G achieved significant results, which I believe will have a lasting impact in three areas. First, the project produced excellent joint research, the findings of which was published through open-access channels. Second, it delivered high-TRL outcomes, including a working prototype for rail-temperature sensor that is now being deployed in several countries - well beyond the scope of ENSURE-6G. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the project demonstrated effective and efficient cross-border, cross-sector collaboration between industry and academia in Finland and Sweden. Such collaboration is essential for improving the attractiveness of the Interreg Aurora region.”
The project has strengthened collaboration between academia and industry and contributed to a wider research and innovation network across northern Sweden and Finland. Activities included networking between students and regional employers, training on international recruitment and discussions about double-degree opportunities. International collaboration, including with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, further expanded the project’s research network.
Aamir Mahmood, Associate Professor at Mid Sweden University, highlights the practical value of these collaborations:
“In this rewarding collaboration with the University of Oulu and our industrial partners, we moved research ideas beyond the laboratory and repositories towards practical use. This cooperation has already generated new projects and initiatives, giving us a strong foundation for turning continued research into solutions that industry can test and adopt.”
ENSURE-6G provides a foundation for continued research into non-terrestrial connectivity, low-power IoT and communication methods that reduce unnecessary data transmission. The project has demonstrated how affordable monitoring and resilient connectivity can contribute to safer railways, more efficient infrastructure maintenance and new opportunities for companies in rural regions.
More information
The ENSURE 6G project was funded with support from Interreg Aurora. Read more about the project here.
