Linguisticator Wins EU Funding for Virtual Reality Memory Palace Platform
Thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supported KEEP+ programme, a team from the University of Westminster will be working with Linguisticator to develop a platform for building memory palaces in Virtual Reality.
Linguisticator announced today that it has been awarded funding from the European Regional Development Fund supported KEEP+ programme to collaborate with the University of Westminster on developing Macunx VR, a new platform for building memory palaces in Virtual Reality. A graduate student from the University of Westminster, supervised by one of the university’s Senior Lecturers, will now begin working on Macunx VR, an immersive educational platform under development at Linguisticator.
KEEP+ is a new European Regional Development Fund supported programme that seeks to connect SMEs to academic expertise and graduate talent. Thanks to support from the fund, Linguisticator, a Cambridge-based startup, will be able to work with Markos Mentzelopoulos – Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the BSc Computer Games Development at the University of Westminster – and one of the University of Westminster’s exceptional graduate students.
Together they will build and develop Macunx VR, a new platform for building memory palaces in Virtual Reality. In July 2016 Macunx VR hit 395% of its original crowdfunding goal on Kickstarter with support from a total of 168 backers. It has since been featured in Wired, on BBC Click and in a TEDx talk delivered by inventor Dr Aaron Ralby which can be found here.
The new VR platform has multiple applications, ranging from language learning and medical training to learning subjects like history and geography. Trials of the memory palace technique led by Dr Aaron Ralby also suggest that Macunx VR could hold huge potential in helping individuals with dyslexia circumvent some of the learning challenges they face.
“We are thrilled to win EU funding for Macunx VR and look forward to working with the University of Westminster on executing this project”, says Dr Aaron Ralby, inventor of Macunx VR and CEO of Linguisticator. “The ultimate aim of the project is to change the way we learn large and complex subjects. Rather than watering subjects down to make them easier, we want to empower people to learn rigorous disciplines by unlocking the potential of their spatial minds.”
“Westminster is very pleased to partner with Linguisticator on the development of Macunx VR”, says Markos Mentzelopoulos, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Westminster. “We have been working hard as an institution to promote research values and interests of the community through our graduate and research enterprise programs inspired by the latest immersive technologies for new generation apps.”
About Macunx VR and Linguisticator
Macunx VR is an immersive, educational platform under development at Linguisticator Ltd, a startup based in Cambridge, UK. Company founder, Dr Aaron Ralby, has spent years developing ways of applying memory techniques to learning large and complex subjects. This expertise is now being applied to the development of Macunx VR, a platform which will allow users to build memory palaces in 3D and Virtual Reality.
About European Regional Development Fund
The project has received £30,000 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund.
Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/europe-growth-funding.
About the University of Westminster
The University of Westminster boasts a vibrant learning environment attracting more than 20,000 students from over 150 nations and we continue to invest in our future with new developments, research projects and new ideas.
University of Westminister offers highly attractive practice-based courses that are independently rated as excellent, many with international recognition. Our distinguished 175-year history has meant we lead the way in many areas of research, particularly politics, media, art and design, architecture and biomedical sciences, and our position in the city of London allows us to continue to build on our close connections with leading figures and organisations in these areas as well as in the worlds of business, information technology, politics and law.
Our commitment to educating graduates for the needs of professional life attracts high quality students from within the UK and around the globe.
Internationalisation, employability and sustainability are key elements in the University of Westminster’s vision for the future and we strive to ensure the very highest standards are met and maintained.
CONTACT:
Aaron Ralby, PhD – Founder and CEO
Linguisticator Ltd
https://www.macunx.com
https://www.linguisticator.com
aaron@linguisticator.com
+44 (0) 7437 759707
