UTP To Have Centre Of Excellence For Virtual Reality

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) has teamed up with Thames Technology Sdn Bhd and UK's Virtalis Ltd to set up a centre of excellence for virtual reality (VR) at UTP.

The three parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up the lab with the objective of developing talents and certified professionals in VR among UTP students.

It will also help enhance design, training and maintenance procedure in engineering and oil and gas industry.

"The collaboration will get us (UTP) one step closer to be the first university in Asia to have a centre of excellence for VR," UTP vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim told reporters at the MoU signing ceremony here last Friday.

Abdul Rahim signed the MoU on behalf of UTP while Virtalis was represented by its managing director, David Cockburn-Price and Thames Technology by its managing director, Kamarul Hisham Hashim.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan.

Abdul Rahim said through the collaboration, Virtalis would provide hardware and software worth RM1.86 million to the centre for students and researchers in engineering and technology programmes and extend VR knowledge and skills for three years.

He said the centre could play a major role in research and innovation by helping industries, particularly the oil and gas sector in addressing safety issues.

"VR helps prepare would-be engineers to ward off disasters on offshore rigs through immerse training, allowing them to work through various scenarios and providing holistic views through virtual tours of oil rigs or chemical plants. This could lead to cost-saving opportunities," he said.

He said the partnership would provide ample research and development opportunities for the company, especially in building virtual reality and advanced visualisation facilities and resources in Malaysia.

Cockburn-Price said Virtalis' collaboration with UTP would serve as a springboard for the company to expand its business in Asia through its regional partner, Thames Technology.

He said the VR technology in UTP could attract interest from companies in neigbouring countries to adopt the technology in their business.

-- BERNAMA

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