Meta and Tyndall National Institute team up to advance augmented reality

Meta is teaming up with European deep-tech research centre Tyndall National Institute for a four-year programme to help advance augmented reality technology.

It is understood the programme, which will focus on improving displays for augmented reality, represents a €5 million investment by the social media giant.

The research programme will be led by Tyndall’s Professor Paul Hurley, who has been appointed as Meta’s industrial chair in Semiconductor Technologies at Tyndall and the School of Chemistry at UCC. He will also appoint a team of PhD students from Tyndall to work on the project, alongside Meta.

The project will focus on key AR technology such as miniature light display technologies. “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,” said Prof Hurley.

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Prof Hurley’s appointment was welcomed by Pádraig Hughes, head of Reality Labs at Meta in Cork. “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.”

Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who attended the announcement at UCC, said the investment was “significant”. “Such a partnership involving a world-leader like Meta is a huge vote of confidence in the leading research taking place here in Cork,” he said.

The collaboration is part of Meta’s research efforts into core technologies that will pave the way for the broader adoption of AR, and Meta’s research links with Tyndall in Cork.

“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,” said Prof William Scanlon, chief executive of Tyndall National Institute. “The work further strengthens Ireland’s strategic importance to Meta and in particular, Tyndall’s research excellence in semiconductors and photonics.”