Meta partners with Cork research institute to advance augmented reality technology

At the announcement of the Meta’s new four-year programme of semiconductor research at University College Cork and the Tyndall National Institute are Professor Paul Hurley, Meta’s Industrial Chair in Semiconductor Technologies at UCC and Tyndall, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Simone Dulfer Tyndall Master's Intern University of Twente Netherlands and Pádraig Hughes, Director & Head of Office Cork, Reality Labs Hardware Division, Meta Ireland. Photography By Gerard McCarthy

Social media giant, Meta has agreed to a four-year programme of research led by Cork research institute, Tyndall. 

Recently appointed as Meta’s Industrial Chair in Semiconductor Technologies at Tyndall and the School of Chemistry at UCC, Professor Paul Hurley will lead the research, with the announcement being attended by Tánaiste Micheál Martin this week.

Professor Hurley will lead a multi-disciplinary research team, including the appointment of a cohort of Tyndall PhD students, to help advance the state of AR technology alongside Meta.

Part of UCC, Tyndall is a European deep-tech research centre and is Ireland’s largest Research and Technology Organisation specialising in both electronics and photonics. 

The centre works with industry and academia to transform research into products in its core market areas of electronics, communications, energy, health, agri-food and the environment. It comprises more than 600 people of 52 nationalities, including over 150 postgraduates.

Speaking in UCC, Tánaiste Martin said, “I want to warmly welcome this significant investment by Meta in the work carried out in UCC and Tyndall. 

"Such a partnership involving a world leader like Meta is a huge vote of confidence in the leading research taking place here in Cork.” 

Professor Paul Hurley said, “The goal of this research engagement with Meta is to investigate heterogeneous systems and determine their impact on efficiency, further informing critical technology adoption in future products.” 

Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall National Institute said, “Meta’s work with Tyndall will further develop our semiconductor research programme and hopefully lead to new advances in display technologies and product innovations for the AR sector. The work further strengthens Ireland’s strategic importance to Meta and in particular, Tyndall’s research excellence in semiconductors and photonics.”