FCI academics win Gold at INDES 2024 for innovative 360° visual experience of Perak's Cave Art

A team of four academics from the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI), who are also members of the Centre for Immersive Technology and Creativity (CITC) at UTAR, was awarded a Gold medal at the prestigious 13th International Invention, Innovation & Design Competition 2024 (INDES 2024), held at UiTM Seri Iskandar from 12 to 13 June 2024.

The team comprising Ts Mohd Fairuz bin Ali, Ts Ng Perng Jeu, Ts Dr Cheng Kin Meng and Ts Chong Hwei Teeng demonstrated exceptional originality and creativity in the Professional-Design & Creativity category. Their pioneering creation was not only recognised by the judges, but it also demonstrated their ability to create cutting-edge technical solutions.

Their project, titled “Sustainability Approach: Preserving Perak’s Cave Art Heritage Journey with a 360 Visual Experience Development” aimed to record and disseminate the historical cave paintings of Perak to a worldwide viewership. Ts Fairuz and Ts Ng participated in the competition and exhibition. The project garnered substantial positive feedback and numerous confidence votes, highlighting its relevance and popularity within the research community.

From left: Ts Ng and Ts Fairuz proudly displaying the gold medal

Ts Fairuz said, “We are humbled to receive this gold medal at INDES 2024. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and teamwork of our team, each of whom played an important role in the process, and whose passion and creativity made this possible. We are grateful for UTAR’s unwavering support, which fuels our continuous pursuit of innovative solutions for the community. Special thanks to the organisers of INDES 2024 for offering an opportunity for all exhibitors to showcase their creative and innovative solutions, and for the acknowledgement given to our team’s creative interactive design product.”

Research member Ts Dr Cheng said, “I’m glad to be in the team for this project. I’d like to sincerely thank the members, Ts Fairuz, Ts Ng and Ts Chong for the teamwork effort in operating and bringing the idea into reality since the project’s inception. From ideation, to grant, then competition, and finally the product. Everything will only be realised with the collaboration and our teamwork.”

Ts Ng and Ts Fairuz receiving the gold medal at the award ceremony

Ts Ng added, “We are truly grateful to the 13th International Invention, Innovation & Design Competition 2024 (INDES 2024) for providing us with the platform to showcase our research output. The team and I sincerely appreciate the invaluable support and collaboration from all the individuals and organisations involved in UTAR – Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI), Centre for Immersive Technology and Creativity (CITC), Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation (DCC), Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research (IPSR), Vice President for R&D and Commercialisation Prof Ts Dr Faidz bin Abd Rahman, and the President of UTAR Ir Prof Dato Dr Ewe Hong Tat during the application process. Without their continuous guidance, our attempt at accomplishment would have been impossible. Thank you!”

The team mentioned that taking part in this academically-oriented innovative competition offered them a valuable opportunity to apply their expertise in real-world situations. This participation helped enhance advanced research methods, build connections with industry professionals, peers, and experts, and boost their reputation in both academic and societal circles. Overall, this contributed to their professional growth and educational excellence.

INDES 2024

The 13th International Invention, Innovation & Design Competition 2024 was organised by Universiti Teknologi Mara in partnership with the Business Innovation & Technology Commercialization Centre (BITCOM) of UiTM, Majlis Rekabentuk Malaysia (MRM), and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). INDES 2024 offered a platform for participants to showcase their inventions, innovations, and designs, which have the potential for patenting and commercialisation, to the public. The competition was open to members of higher education institutions (both public and private), industry professionals, school students (both primary and secondary), and representatives from both domestic and international locations.