APU’s Team Triumphs in the 2023 ASEAN-ROK Youth Mataverse Idea Contest

Showcasing Innovation in XR Technology

The Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) proudly announces the success of Team Creative Potatoes in the 2023 ASEAN-ROK Youth Metaverse Idea Contest, organised by the Busan IT Industrial Promotion Agency (BIPA).

The event, held from November 5th to November 11th, gathered top talent from ASEAN’s higher-learning institutions to showcase their innovation in XR technology.

In the final round, APU’s Team Creative Potatoes, comprising Ivan Liu Yu Ern, Tan Sin Yi, Yeo Yi Juan, and Khor Chin Yee, secured third place under the mentorship of Ts. Dr. Siti Azreena Mubin, Senior Lecturer of the School of Computing (SoC) at APU.

Ivan, Sin Yi, and Yi Juan are students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Multimedia Technology (VR/AR), while Chin Yee is enrolled in the BSc in Multimedia Technology programme at APU. The curricula of these programmes equip them with a core strength in creating a Metaverse platform.

The team's Metaverse platform, named Music Across Malaysia (MAM), earned accolades for its unique approach to highlighting Malaysia’s rich traditional music scene.

Members of Team Creative Potatoes, (from left) Yeo Yi Juan, Ivan Liu Yu Ern, Tan Sin Yi, and Khor Chin Yee, showed their excitement during the final round contest in Busan, Korea.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Ivan, the team lead, remarked, “This international exposure broadened our XR knowledge by offering practical experiences and insights from both industry settings and cultural contexts.”

The competition, open to ASEAN college students, focused on proposing ideas in the field of “cultural heritage and tourism” using XR Metaverse technology.

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During the send-off, APU’s Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer, Prof. Ir. Eur. Ing. Ts. Dr. Vinesh Thiruchelvam (on the right), and XR Studio Lead, Ts. Dr. Siti Azreena Mubin (on the left), extended their best wishes to Khor Chin Yee (second from the left onwards), Tan Sin Yi, Yeo Yi Juan, and Ivan Liu Yu Ern.

During their visit to Busan, the birthplace of the K-wave and a global leader in XR technology, APU’s Team Creative Potatoes had hands-on access to cutting-edge facilities like the MR Studio and Vol-cap station at the ASEAN-ROK ICT Convergence Village. This exposure provided practical insights into the professional XR engineering environment.

The winning project, Music Across Malaysia, aims to create an immersive digital world where users from around the globe can engage with Malaysia’s blend of modern and traditional musical instruments and scenes.

Ivan emphasised the potential impact of MAM on the tourism industry, stating, “With the help of Metaverse technology, users from all over the world can join this world and with immersive technology, we can create a world which is immersive and fun for all to learn about our traditional music.”

The team successfully navigated through the preliminary round, which saw participation from 48 teams and 21 individuals from 10 ASEAN nations, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Team Creative Potatoes' dedication and collaboration were evident as they consulted with industry experts, including Virtual Tech Frontier and MRANTI, and interviewed Malaysia's traditional music artists.

Tan Sin Yi, responsible for settling the project's finances, played a crucial role, while Yeo Yi Juan co-ideated the MAM platform and managed the team's presentation materials. Khor Chin Yee contributed significantly to making the application accessible across various platforms, ensuring a seamless experience for users.

This victory not only adds to APU’s list of accomplishments but also reinforces the university's commitment to fostering innovative talent in the realm of XR technology. The exposure gained from this international competition is expected to have a lasting impact on the students’ academic and professional journeys.

Commenting on Team Creative Potatoes’ success, Ts. Dr. Siti Azreena Mubin, who is also the XR Studio Lead at APU, elaborated, “The team's ability to translate their on-campus learning into a globally recognised Metaverse platform, 'Music Across Malaysia,' speaks volumes about APU's dedication to shaping students into industry-ready professionals capable of making a positive impact on an international stage.”