Top Page | English | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | 한국어 | 日本語
Monday, 31 May 2010, 21:01 HKT/SGT
Share:
    

Source: Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA)
Singapore's Interactive Digital Media Industry Receives a Boost with the Setting Up of Research Centre by NTU and Fraunhofer

SINGAPORE, May 31, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - Singapore's capabilities in Interactive Digital Media (IDM) research will be boosted with the setting up of the Fraunhofer IDM Centre@NTU by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Fraunhofer) - Europe's largest institution for applied research. The centre will focus on the promotion of applied research as well as the commercialisation of IDM innovations.

Facilitated by the multi-agency Interactive Digital Media R&D Programme Office at Media Development Authority (MDA) and funded by the National Research Foundation, the centre forms a part of the international network of IDM R&D institutions that Singapore is establishing. Other organisations in this network include the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab, the China-Singapore Institute of Digital Media and Keio-NUS Connective Ubiquitous Technology for Embodiments (CUTE) Centre.

Fraunhofer@NTU will receive funding of S$14m from MDA, NTU and Fraunhofer. Furthermore, the collaboration includes a license agreement with Fraunhofer which secures the use of the protected Fraunhofer brand and processes from inception, thus representing an estimated total investment of S$25m.

"We are attracting the best talents and institutions around the world, making Singapore a preferred place for Interactive Digital Media R&D. The Fraunhofer IDM Centre@NTU is expected to attract the best of IDM R&D from Europe. It will also help to enhance the international network of world class research capacity in Singapore. We hope that the research development resulting from these institutions will be adopted by our IDM industry and give us a competitive edge in this exciting sector," said Mr Michael Yap, Executive Director, Interactive Digital Media R&D Programme Office.

"By implementing the unique Fraunhofer model, connecting academic research and industry, the involved parties made the right decision for the future," said Professor Dr. Annette Schavan, German Federal Minister of Education and Research, who is in Singapore to witness the agreement signing ceremony. "The long-standing collaboration between NTU and Fraunhofer IGD in Singapore has created a basis that allows a sustainably positive development of research in interactive digital media," she added.

The centre's emphasis on applied research in interactive and digital media complements the current university focus on basic research. In other locations within the network of Fraunhofer's Institute for Computer Graphics Research (Fraunhofer IGD), this combination of Fraunhofer's applied research with basic research at universities has made significant scientific and economic impact. In Singapore, the link with NTU will be the cornerstone for the research centre.

"The IDM sector is poised for tremendous growth, fuelled largely by the technological advancements in computing, broadband and mobile telephone and in combination with soft sciences from the media and art sector. NTU is excited to partner with Fraunhofer to develop the next generation of IDM-based interdisciplinary technologies which can be used in various applications such as bio-sciences and engineering, education, culture and many more," said NTU Provost Professor Bertil Andersson.

Experts at the Fraunhofer IDM@NTU will be working together with Fraunhofer IGD, the world's leading institute for applied research in Visual Computing. Visual Computing is image- and model-based information technology.

One of the key projects is to create a three-dimensional visualisation of proteins at an atomic level in immersive virtual environments. This will allow scientists to better study the mystery of protein folding and the interplay of protein structures. With this technology, the team hopes to provide insights and create inspirations for new biology and biomedical research, including the discovery of new drugs. The team also hopes that this visually stunning technology will serve a valuable tool for teaching complicated biological systems.

Other flagship projects that NTU and Fraunhofer have developed at its current joint research facility - Centre for Advanced Media Technology - include the interactive virtual and augmented Peranakan Museum, an augmented reality Chinese language learning game, as well as a virtual Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) Tunnel.

The agreement to set up Fraunhofer IDM Centre@NTU was signed this evening by Professor Bertil Andersson, Dr Georg Rosenfeld, Division Director, Corporate Development, Fraunhofer, Professor Dr Dieter Fellner, Head of Fraunhofer IGD Darmstadt and Mr Michael Yap. The signing ceremony was held at the residence of His Excellency Mr Jorg Ranau, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Singapore. Professor Dr. Annette Schavan, together with Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education, Singapore, witnessed the event.


Contact:
Nanyang Technological University
Esther Ang
Manager, Corporate Communications Office
Tel: +65 6790 6804; Mobile: +65 9113 9654
Email: estherang@ntu.edu.sg

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Singapore
Gudrun Lingner
Counsellor, Head Press & Cultural Affaris
Tel: +65 6231 0806
Email: culture@sing.diplo.de

Media Development Authority
Jasmine Wong
Manager, Communications
Tel: +65 9726 3158
Email: jasmine_WONG@mda.gov.sg


Topic: New Service
Source: Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA)

Sectors: Film & Video, Media & Marketing, IT Individual, Broadcast, Film & Sat
http://www.acnnewswire.com
From the Asia Corporate News Network


Copyright © 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Asia Corporate News Network.



Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA)
Mar 16, 2016 18:00 HKT/SGT
Industry Leaders Converge at FILMART TV World International Forum
Mar 14, 2016 19:45 HKT/SGT
Asia's Premier Entertainment Marketplace FILMART Opens
Mar 14, 2016 16:30 HKT/SGT
Singapore Returns to Hong Kong FILMART with Strong and Diverse Offerings across Genres
Dec 3, 2015 13:00 HKT/SGT
Singapore Presents Quality Content at Asia TV Forum & Market and ScreenSingapore 2015
Oct 5, 2015 22:00 HKT/SGT
Singapore Makes Strong Showing at MIPCOM with Line-up of Over 600 Hours of Original TV and Animation Content
Mar 25, 2015 14:00 HKT/SGT
Singapore Offers a Stellar Line-Up of Programmes for Asian Audiences at Hong Kong FILMART
Mar 23, 2015 19:00 HKT/SGT
Singapore Brings Over 180 Hours of Film and TV Content to Hong Kong FILMART, with a Stellar Line-Up of Programmes for Asian Audiences
Oct 14, 2014 12:00 HKT/SGT
SPARK / Astro / Moving Visuals Intl launch Asian doc-channel SPARK ASIA
Oct 14, 2014 11:00 HKT/SGT
From Southeast Asia to the World
Oct 13, 2014 15:00 HKT/SGT
Hub Media Group Options Development & Merchandising Rights to Atlantyca IP Agency's Popular Books School of Pirates and Dinofriends
More news >>
 News Alerts
Copyright © 2024 ACN Newswire - Asia Corporate News Network
Home | About us | Services | Partners | Events | Login | Contact us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | RSS
US: +1 214 890 4418 | China: +86 181 2376 3721 | Hong Kong: +852 8192 4922 | Singapore: +65 6549 7068 | Tokyo: +81 3 6859 8575

Connect With us: