Posted on March 10, 2021
Thanks to Exxaro, one of the top five coal producers in South Africa and a constituent of the JSE’s Top 40 index, and the initiative and hard work of Prof. Ronny Webber-Youngman and Mr Jannie Maritz from the Department of Mining Engineering, as well as Mr Koos de Beer from the Department of Information Science, the Exxaro Chair in XR (Extended Reality) Technology has been established.
The University of Pretoria supports research to challenge the obstacles associated with the 4th Industrial Revolution. Researching XR technology, as part of a strategic intervention in dealing with mining-related challenges, is one of these initiatives. The all-pervasive nature of XR technology and its applications is evident, and its relevance for mining-related challenges will now be explored, to optimise the resources of companies like Exxaro.
The University of Pretoria (through the Department of Information Science and Department of Mining Engineering) aims to contribute by providing expertise in:
The Exxaro Chair in XR Technology will offer a framework firstly on how the XR technology can be used to address the respective challenges, and secondly on identifying which of the available technologies will best serve the solution. Some examples of the different technology trade-offs are listed below:
The following appointments have been made:
The Virtual Reality and Interaction (VRI) Laboratory is hosted in the Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria. It applies XR technologies to design interactive user experiences for numerous real-world practicalities. The emphasis is on using commercial XR technologies for user-centred problem-solving to intricate academic and industry-related problems. With further support, such as the establishment of the Exxaro Chair in XR technology, the process will be extended to increase education opportunities, advance the development process, and promote the number of project-based research outputs.
The Department of Information Science is proud to have established this partnership and looks forward to working alongside Exxaro and the Department of Mining Engineering for more efficient and inventive coal mining practices.
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