Government opens purse for 'human interface' lab

The Human Interface Technology Laboratory to be established at the University of Canterbury is a flagship for collaboration between universities, local and central government and the private sector, says Industry New Zealand Chief Executive Neil Mackay.

Commenting on the Minister for Economic Development Jim Anderton's announcement of $331,250 of government funding for HIT Lab NZ, facilitated by Industry New Zealand, Mr Mackay said the establishment of the lab was a ground-breaking exercise involving a unique partnership.

"On the local government side there's the Canterbury Development Corporation which had the initial vision to get HIT Lab to Christchurch," he said.

"On the academic side there's the University of Canterbury where the HIT Lab will be located and where its academic staff and students will work and learn; there's also the University of Washington, the home of the first HIT Lab, which has strongly backed the move down-under.

"And from central government, Industry New Zealand has worked alongside all the partners to help make sure HIT Lab NZ happened." Mr Mackay said it was also great to see a world-class New Zealander HIT Lab director Mark Billinghurst being attracted back to this country to do leading edge research.

HIT Lab NZ is an annex of the first HIT Lab established at the University of Washington in Seattle by Dr Tom Furness. The laboratory is a world-leader in virtual reality technology. Human Interface Technology is the development of new interfaces to make the computer more natural, intuitive and easy to use, enhancing people's interaction with computers.

Mr Mackay said the certainty government backing had given HIT Lab NZ had allowed it to start recruiting New Zealand businesses for a HIT Lab consortium that will give members access to computer developments, to international networks and to latest technology. "What's really exciting is the reach of HIT Lab," Mr Mackay said. "It has the potential to be incredibly influential in the development of students, researchers and a wide range of businesses and not just those in Information and Communications Technology sector.

"Growth will be exponential as the benefits of HIT Lab fan out through the economy and society. "This is what happened with the original HIT Lab in Seattle and the state of Washington.

"It helped create new companies, new jobs, income, patents, highly trained graduates, international links and new technologies, for example the virtual retinal display (VRD) which scans images directly into the retina of the eye, doing away with the need for a monitor or a display screen." He said these positive spin-offs could be repeated in Christchurch and New Zealand.

Industry New Zealand

Canterbury Development Corporation

University of Canterbury

HIT Lab Seattle