CIE RESEARCH AREAS

CIE conducts multidisciplinary research on the features and use of 3D technologies in the future evolution of the Internet, including virtual worlds, technology enhanced learning, and how technology is used and utilized in digital society at large. The research conducted at CIE focuses on the following areas:

  • Future and 3D Internet
  • Open source
  • Living labs
  • Digital services
  • Smart societies

    • We focus not only on doing technical research and development, but how technology is applied and experienced. We aim thus to be genuenly multi-disciplinary, and that is what makes CIE distinctive from many other research organizations. Also that CIE focuses combining research and innovation activities within a single and unified framework, makes its special. CIE has researchers form different domains: technology, education, humanities, and economics.

    CIE research environment

    CIE is a research and innovation unit at the University of Oulu, which combines leading-edge Internet research, innovation processes and new infrastructures, with special focus on emerging 3D technologies. CIE provides unique environment to combine research from different fields and network partners in a practical setup, where idea creation, observation, measurement and validation is enabled for user-centric innovation and design. CIE values include principles of collaboration, openness, and being scientific, social and user-driven.

    The role of CIE is to build collaboration over the local partner network (research groups and departments at the University of Oulu, VTT, University of Applied Sciences, City of Oulu, companies), and establish spearhead programs and projects, which will elevate the level of research and innovations. Steering is provided Oulu Innovation Alliance, which is a joint organization of University of Oulu, VTT, University of Applied Sciences, City of Oulu and Technopolis. 3D Internet activities are coordinated with the local partners such as 3D Internet Alliance, which represent larger interest group of 3D Internet companies. RealXtend is 3D Internet platform technology developed in Oulu, and is coordinated by RealXtend association.

    CIE projects are multi-disciplinary with the main focus is in technology but closely linked with application development, usability, economics and social sciences. We drive for the Living Lab approach to obtain user-driven innovations by involving individuals outside the traditional product and service creation professions. CIE conducts multidisciplinary research on the features and use of 3D Internet technologies (such as Internet communication enabled virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D Web, avatars, 3D content, animated 3D graphics, 3D camera technologies, 3D display technologies, stereoscopic vision, gaze awareness) in the future evolution of the Internet, including virtual worlds, technology enhanced learning, and how technology is used and utilized in digital society at large.

    Some examples of the results during the founding phase included Intel Nokia Joint Innovation Center (3D Internet research) and Oulu Urban Living Labs – OULLabs, testing environment. OULLABS collects the testing services under the same umbrella. Other important interest groups include project partners, innovators and business developers. Furthermore, CIE promotes City of Oulu as a living lab environment which we develop towards the Smart City vision. City of Oulu has been recently selected among the top 7 intellectual communities in the world, where for example public wireless Internet connection (panOulu) is freely available for citizens as well as research purposes. Also 3D Internet related infrastructures are being developed (such as 3D Cave environments) for research and educational purposes.