IIT Madras and Isro join forces to train India's next generation of space pioneers

Indian Institue of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on February 6. The collaboration aims to develop a training module for the Indian Spacelift Programme by IIT-Madras, as per a report by The Indian Express.

The MoU between ISRO and IIT-Madras will see the two organisations collaborate on the use of Extended Reality (XR) and other technologies for the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. A training module will be developed, incorporating Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR).

Further, according to the collaboration guidelines, ISRO would utilise the advanced technologies created at the eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) at IIT Madras in order to promote Research and Development (R&D) in the field of Extended Reality. Additionally, the collaboration between IIT Madras and ISRO will result in the modelling and simulation of human physiology as well as space systems, outreach activities, visualisation and optimisation of design architecture, and training of ISRO scientists in developing their own XR systems, as stated in a report by The Indian Express.

Sharing views in this regard, Principle Investigator of XTIC-IIT Madras Professor M Manivanna 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,” he added.