News 2023

Meta teams up with Tyndall National Institute to advance augmented reality technology

23 Jun 2023
Left to right: Professor Paul Hurley, Meta’s Industrial Chair in Semiconductor Technologies at Tyndall & School of Chemistry, UCC; Tánaiste Micheál Martin; Simone Dulfer, Visiting Master student from the University of Twent; Pádraig Hughes, head of Meta's reality labs in Cork. Photography: Emma McCarthy. | Photo below: Prof William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall National Institute; Pádraig Hughes, Meta Ireland; Professor Sarah Culloty, College of Science, Engineering, & Food Science, UCC; Professor Anita Maguire, School of Chemistry, UCC; Simone Dulfer.

Meta has agreed to a four-year programme of research led by Tyndall’s Professor Paul Hurley, recently appointed as Meta’s Industrial Chair in Semiconductor Technologies at Tyndall and the School of Chemistry at UCC.

The announcement was attended by Tánaiste, and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Minister for Defence Micheál Martin at UCC.

This unique appointment demonstrates Meta’s world-class research efforts in the core technologies underpinning the broad adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) platforms, and the strategic importance of its Irish research teams collaborating with Tyndall in Cork.

Professor Hurley will lead a multi-disciplinary research team, including the appointment of a cohort of Tyndall PhD students, to help advance the state of AR technology alongside Meta.

Speaking in UCC, Tánaiste Martin said,

“I want to warmly welcome this significant investment by Meta in the work carried out in UCC and Tyndall. Such a partnership involving a world-leader like Meta is a huge vote of confidence in the leading research taking place here in Cork.”

Speaking about this agreement, Pádraig Hughes, Head of Reality Labs at Meta in Cork said,

“We’re delighted with the appointment of Professor Paul Hurley as Meta’s Chair to advance research in miniature light display technologies for Augmented Reality. It is a testament to the calibre of Irish academic research, and in particular the research that Paul is leading at the Tyndall National Institute.”

Professor Paul Hurley said, “The optoelectronic efficiency of ultra-scaled devices such as micro LEDs is dominated by surfaces and interfaces. The goal of this research engagement with Meta is to investigate heterogeneous systems and determine their impact on efficiency, further informing critical technology adoption in future products.”

Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall National Institute, said, “Meta’s work with Tyndall will further develop our semiconductor research programme and hopefully lead to new advances in display technologies and product innovations for the AR sector. The work further strengthens Ireland’s strategic importance to Meta and in particular, Tyndall’s research excellence in semiconductors and photonics.”

Professor John O’Halloran, President, UCC said, “I want to congratulate Professor Hurley on his appointment, and Tyndall and Meta on this exciting research endeavour. This collaboration is testament to the world-leading research taking place at both Tyndall and UCC, where we place an emphasis on translating the outcomes of our exploration into solutions for the real-world challenges facing us all.”

College of Science, Engineering and Food Science

Coláiste na hEolaíochta, na hInnealtóireachta agus na hEolaíochta Bia

Block E, Level 3, Food Science Building, UCC, Cork, T12 YN60.

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