IIT Madras to Train ISRO Engineers on Extended Reality, and Help With Indian Space Flight Program

IIT Madras and the Indian Space Research Organisation have signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration on the application of Extended Reality (XR) and other technologies in the Indian Human Spaceflight Program. Gaganyaan is one of the main initiatives under the Indian Human Spaceflight Program being planned by ISRO. As part of the MoU, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras will be developing training modules using modern technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality for Indian spaceflight programs.

Looking forward to this collaboration, Dr Umamaheswaran R., Director, Human Space Flight Center (HSFC), ISRO, said, "Space program always had linkages with academia and IIT Madras has a long history of contributing for ISRO's program including human spaceflight program. It is always a pleasure to collaborate with the institute."

Also read: IIT Madras to Develop Lab Grown Diamonds Mentioned in Union Budget 2023

Along with these initiatives, ISRO will also make use of the advanced technologies created at the newly-established eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) at the institute to promote Research and Development (R&D) in the domain of extended reality. XITC will also train ISRO engineers from the Human Space Flight Centre on extended reality technologies. Furthermore, IIT Madras will also help establish an XR and VR laboratory at HSFC. 

What IIT Madras and ISRO Aim to Achieve through the Partnership?

ISRO and the Indian Institute of Madras will work together on the following outcomes:

• Modelling and Simulation of human physiology as well as space systems.
• Outreach activities.
• Visualization and optimization of design architecture.
• Training ISRO scientists in developing their own XR systems.

Prof M Manivannan, Department of Applied Mechanics,, and Prnciple Investigator, XTIC-IIT Madras, said: ”XR Technologies has the potential to add value in many aspects of human spaceflight program specifically in shortening the design cycle and simulating the space environment. We will start with developing models of physiological systems as well as design optimization studies. IIT Madras ecosystem is conducive not-only for research, but also for development with our industrial consortium."