Collaborating to develop ‘augmented reality’ technology

KUCHING: In the first partnership of its kind between a private and public university, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology has teamed up with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) to undertake joint research into new technologies.

PARTNERSHIP: Khairuddin (fourth left) and Lim (fourth right) during the MoU signing ceremony held at Limkokwing’s Cyberjaya Campus.

This collaboration will not only be involving both Unimas and Limkokwing University Cyberjaya campus, but also the other six Limkokwing universities around the world.

They will work together to develop ‘augmented reality’ technology that uses computer-generated data for real-world applications in industry, education, entertainment, military and emergency services.

Dr Edmund Ng, who is the director of the centre of excellence for semantic technology and augmented reality at Unimas, explained how this technology would benefit the education industry.

“The aim of using augmented reality in terms of education would be to transform the book that students would normally use in the classroom into a book that has a holographic way of viewing it.”

This will enable students to be able to interact with the book by looking at a pop up from the book and get all the information just the same way they would by reading it.

With each of the universities having its own areas of expertise, this collaboration will also focus on practical technology research, creative applications, consumer research and collaborative intellectual property development.

Tan Sri Dr Lim Kok Wing said the technology would not only benefit the education industry but also provide support to the film and television industry.

Unimas will supply the technical know-how for the creation of a market for products using the most revolutionary multimedia technology.

“Unimas is the only university in Malaysia which carries great strength in the knowledge of artificial intelligence. We currently have departments involved in artificial intelligence in three different faculties,” said Unimas vice-chancellor  Professor Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid.

Limkokwing University will undertake consumer research, content creation and develop consumer applications.

The university will also work towards getting the final end product on the shelf.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by the two universities at the Limkokwing University campus board room by Lim and Khairuddin.

“I feel very accepted and impressed by what Tan Sri Lim has done with his campus,” Khairuddin said.

Unimas’ Dean of the faculty of Cognitive Science and Human Development Dr Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce and Ng were also present.

The collaboration will also encourage the interaction between the staff and students from both universities which is a key issue in the success of the MOU.

Limkokwing University is known as a leading institution for creative education where young people acquire skills in using 21st century technologies.

It has a student enrolment of 30,000 from 150 countries in 12 campuses worldwide.