Intel & Nokia joint R&D lab to bring 3D to mobile devices

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:49

Business IT - Technology

Intel and Nokia are to establish their first collaborative research laboratory; at the University of Oulu in Finland, to focus on "the use graphical 3D technology to create immersive mobile interfaces."

The Intel and Nokia Joint Innovation Centre, will be located in the Centre for Internet Excellence (CIE) at the University and will initially bring together about two dozen researchers sourced from the local research community who will work at the facility for three years.

Initially, the lab will focus on creating new and compelling Internet user experiences that leverage the rapidly increasing processing and graphics power of mobile devices. The first such research project looks to use graphical 3D technology to create immersive mobile interfaces.

Rich Green, senior vice president and CTO, Nokia, said: "3D technology could change the way we use our mobile devices and make our experiences with them much more immersive. Our new joint laboratory with Intel draws on the Oulu research community's 3D interface expertise and over time, will lay down some important foundations for future mobile experiences."

According to Justin Rattner, Intel CTO and director of Intel Labs, "The University of Oulu's focus on future telecommunications solutions as well as electronics and photonics made it the perfect location for the Intel and Nokia Joint Innovation Centre'¦[The three parties] believe in the potential for 3D Internet to become the next major break-through in mobile user experience.

"The Oulu region hosts a strong 3D internet development community, and technologies such as the open-source virtual reality platform realXtend have been created as a result of 3D Internet research in Oulu."

CIE will provide hosting and operational management for the joint facility while Intel and Nokia will provide the research and technology expertise and support.

In addition to three parties' financing, additional funding has been applied from Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, which has a long history in collaborating both with Nokia and University of Oulu.

CIE was founded in 2009 by City of Oulu, Nokia, University of Oulu, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Oulu University of Applied Sciences and Technopolis.