Creation of AR-VR Center of Excellence


‘Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality’ is an upcoming area where there is huge potential for new applications, system development, innovation and enterprise establishment. Having realized its potential in this area due to combined efforts and importantly the proposal of a philanthropic support from Smt Sushmita Bagchi & Sr Subrato Bagchi with matching grants from STPI and the Startup Council, Govt of Odisha to establish a Center of Excellence in the area of AR-VR (VARCoE) to promote technology development and entrepreneurship activity in this important area with a starting funding of Rs 7.50 crore was done. The VARCoE was established within IITBBS REP. Prof Kumar worked on an innovative model and to start with, the lab facilities of VARCoE are placed in the academic schools of the institutes using the funds coming from REP.

Seevo hydraulic machine
Seevo hydraulic machine
Seevo hydraulic machine

The VARCoE, REP took up several activities such as creating facilities for AR-VR, organizing grand challenges with pan India participation and funding of R&D projects by the side of other activities. The initial grand challenges include,

  • Conclave and Hackathon on AR – VR (CARVR): 10th -12th Jan 2020
  • Workshop and Hackathon on AR-VR (WARVR 2021): 9th – 10th April 2021
  • Open Challenge Programme on AR-VR (OCPARVR): 1st – 3rd March 2022












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