By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, June 7: Members of the public are welcome to tour and experience immersive technologies to foster interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (Centexs) Kuching tomorrow (June 8).
Among the technologies on display at the ‘Bringing Immersive Technologies to Foster STEM Take-up’ programme are Augmented Reality (AR) mobile applications where Android users are required to scan the QR code provided at the event and download the apps.
Through these apps, users can scan the provided images depicting chemical compounds which would create a composite view and explanation of the compounds on screen.
The user would also be able to enjoy AR learning through colour combination where they can scan a provided coloured card which would later create an image of an item of the same colour, or scan the coloured cards side-by-side to see a generated image of an item depicting the combined colours.
The other technologies available at the event are four holograms featuring different subjects namely, the solar system, constellations, heritage items, as well as songket and keringkam virtual modelling.
Another technology to be highlighted at the programme is the autostereoscopy display that portrays autostereoscopic video or glasses-free 3D for media content.
‘Bringing Immersive Technologies to Foster STEM Take-Up’ is among the various programmes under Centexs’ first Sarawak Digital Carnival held from May 27 to June 20 in conjunction with the State’s 5th International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS).
According to Centexs senior instructor-in-charge of the programme, Bebe Yanti Mohamed, the event has the potential to serve as an alternative learning experience for the students to develop interest in STEM subjects.
She also disclosed that the programme aims to inform the general public that Sarawak no longer needs to look outside the State as Centexs has the immersive technologies available at the training centre.
“While it is noted that higher learning institutions in Sarawak do offers subjects relating to the digital industry such as 3D modeling and animation, Centexs serves as a platform to complement these institutions in upskilling and reskilling our students to become more marketable or become key industry players to meet the industry’s demand.
“Even companies from the industry itself are encouraged to send their employees to train with Centexs so that we don’t have to outsource from outside the State and other countries,” she told DayakDaily in an interview at AVR Cluster Centre, CENTEXS today.
At the same time, Bebe disclosed that Centexs is in discussion with education sector players such as Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Batu Lintang on the utilisation of technology in teaching and learning sessions in schools.
DayakDaily was also briefed on the EON-XR application for the Form 5 “Reka Cipta” subject and Primary 6 “Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi” subject.
The EON-XR application allows users to create interactive 3D and 360-degree lessons to be deployed over a wide range of mobile and immersive devices, replacing traditional education methods.
This would further reduce the burden and save the time of teachers in schools to bring in assets physically to classes, enabling students to just swipe a screen to view the assets in 3D, complete with labels, narration and other activities.
Bebe further disclosed that some Centexs prototypes such as the hologram devices and their video content on solar system and constellations were proposed to Petrosains Playsmart Kuching as its next potential interactive features for its exhibition. — DayakDaily
