University of Idaho Selects Nile to Deploy Secure AI-Powered Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) for Advanced Industrial Robotics Research

The Nile NaaS solution for wired and wireless deployment, built on a zero-trust fabric, accelerates agriculture and manufacturing robotics research and statewide lab expansion with significant savings

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nile, a pioneer and leader in next-generation Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), delivers secure, AI-powered wired and wireless solutions to modern organizations with security, simplicity and performance. Today, Nile announced that the University of Idaho’s Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics has selected Nile's Secure NaaS offering to support its advanced manufacturing research initiatives. Delivered as a service, Nile combines built-in zero-trust access with AI-powered automation. This deployment is part of the university’s broader strategy to create the most advanced robotics testbed in the Pacific Northwest.

Located on the university’s Coeur d’Alene campus, the center is leading research in the application of robotics, automation, predictive AI, and cybersecurity to the manufacturing, food processing and agricultural industries. The deployment of Nile NaaS with an AI-powered service cloud, integrated operations and a highly innovative zero-trust fabric, will support the center’s research into real-time machine coordination, data-intensive AI algorithms, and manufacturing cybersecurity best practices. Additionally, Nile’s operational simplicity and inherent cybersecurity will pave the way for expansion to new research environments across the university ecosystem and its private sector partners.

"When I understood what Nile was doing at the hardware level—using encryption and embedded telemetry to deliver zero-trust security and visibility without interfering with network performance—I knew this was something unique," said Dr. John Shovic, Director of the Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics at the University of Idaho. "In a manufacturing setting, network reliability, latency, and control are critical. Nile also provides the micro-segmentation, monitoring, and hardware-level performance we need to synchronize industrial robots and production machines, without the drag of legacy networking gear."

The university’s lab network demands real-time coordination of up to 20 robots across a complex sensor environment, and Nile’s tightly integrated technology and operations stack enables granular segmentation and bandwidth control not offered by legacy enterprise network solutions delivering purely appliance-based solutions. These capabilities support student training and research while solving relevant business problems and unlocking industry-funded research projects. Furthermore, Dr. Shovic’s students represent the next generation of engineers who will look to bring Nile’s zero-trust LAN fabric and AI-powered service delivery to the manufacturing industry. The university plans to replicate the lab at other campus locations and at community college partners across the state, using Nile’s standardized architecture and remote management to ensure consistency and scalability.

"This partnership exemplifies how modern networking and security can unlock innovation in research and industry," said Pankaj Patel, Co-Founder and CEO of Nile. "The University of Idaho is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with industrial robotics and AI. We're proud to support their mission with a highly innovative Next Generation AI-powered NaaS solution which allows the university to focus on what they do best, while consuming networking and security-as-a-service with radical simplicity and cost savings."

For more information about Nile’s secure Network-as-a-Service platform, visit www.nilesecure.com.

About Nile

Nile is leading a fundamental shift in the networking industry, challenging decades-old conventions to deliver a radically new approach. By eliminating complexity and rethinking how networks are built, consumed, and operated, Nile is pioneering a new category designed for a modern, service-driven era. With a relentless focus on simplicity, security, reliability, and performance, Nile empowers organizations to move beyond the limitations of legacy infrastructure and embrace a future where networking is effortless, predictable, and fully aligned with their digital ambitions. For more information, visit nilesecure.com.

About the University of Idaho Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics

The University of Idaho Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics (CIIR) is building a state-of-the-art manufacturing, automation and robotics program for training the 21st century automation engineer. A cross-disciplinary program covering computer science, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, the CIIR is producing BS, MS and PhD graduates that can influence the future direction of robotics and automation. Our research areas are focused on applying new types of explainable AI to existing and new manufacturing plants for productivity improvements, quality control and defect analysis in the aerospace, food processing and other manufacturing spaces. For more information, visit https://www.uidaho.edu/engineering/research/intelligent-industrial-robotics