M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MK FMHS) academics Dr Kaur Kirandeep Kulwant and Prof Dr John Paul Evangel Judson, together with collaborators Prof Dr Ts Manjit Singh Sidhu and Avin Mahajan from Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), clinched the Gold Award at the International Creative Innovation Idea Competition (ICIIC) 2026.
The team received the Gold Award in the Professional category for their invention titled AurisSphere: An XR-Enabled Platform for Immersive Otological Visualization and Learning. The results were announced virtually on 24 January 2026 via the competition’s official platform.
Organised by the MNNF Network, ICIIC 2026 is an international platform that celebrates creativity and innovation by bringing together inventors, entrepreneurs and professionals from academia, industry and government. Participants were required to submit a five-minute video presentation and an extended abstract outlining their innovative idea. The competition was open to professionals, higher education students and school students, with entries evaluated by a panel of experts in innovation.
AurisSphere is an extended reality (XR)-enabled educational innovation designed to enhance the teaching and learning of otology. By leveraging immersive technology, the platform aims to improve visualisation, engagement and understanding of complex anatomical and clinical concepts in medical education. The project reflects an interdisciplinary collaboration that integrates digital health innovation with learner-centred educational approaches.
Commenting on the achievement, Dr Kirandeep shared that she joined the competition to showcase AurisSphere on an international platform and to benchmark the innovation against global standards. “The competition offered an opportunity to receive expert feedback and assess its relevance, feasibility and impact in a broader academic and professional context,” she said.
Expressing gratitude for the recognition, she added, “Winning the Gold Award is both an honour and a strong validation of the effort invested by the interdisciplinary team. It motivates us to further refine the innovation, expand its applications and continue pursuing impactful work in medical education and healthcare technology.”
The recognition reinforces the translational potential of XR-based medical education and strengthens opportunities for future collaborations, grants and implementation studies, contributing to both academic advancement and real-world educational impact.
The team’s winning certificate
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