Dundee has been chosen as the location for a major £7million 3D digital imaging centre it was announced today (Tuesday, June 25)
Up to 250 new jobs will be created over the next five years by Canadian-based 3D digital scanning specialists, Arius3D Inc, in a new European Innovation Centre, which will be tied to the University of Dundee and will also work with the University of Abertay.
The company specialises in digitally scanning objects (simultaneously in geometry and colour) for educational, industrial, entertainment and medical purposes. This can enable 3D images to be placed in media such as websites and interactive computer programmes, where viewers can inspect all parts of an object without having, or being able, to hold or touch it.
Amongst the many uses of the system are digitising rare historical artefacts such as coins or ornaments held by museums, scanning body organs or bones for teaching medical students, and industrial rapid-prototyping and reverse engineering. The technology is also particularly adept at producing digital images for use in special computer effects in films and electronic games.
The centre will provide a 3D digital scanning service to a wide range of customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, but will also work with the universities on research and development projects that will identify and develop new applications for the advanced scanning technology, as well as making improvements to the technology itself.
David Breukelman, President of Arius3D Inc, based in Toronto, Canada said: "We believe that our state-of-the-art 3D technology leads the field in providing extremely high resolution, true-colour digital images; a service that is unavailable from any other laser scanning system on the market. Dundee's international reputation for innovation and expertise in a wide range of fields from computer gaming and digital animation to medical education and research made it a highly attractive option when it came to choosing the site for our new Innovation Centre. Initially it will be housed within Dundee University, but in time, we plan to move into our own premises in the city. All of us at Arius 3D are proud of our growing relationship with the City of Dundee and to the real opportunities that we see to develop the technology in a recognised centre of academic and business excellence."
The project was won for Scotland by Scottish Development International, the joint Scottish Executive/ Scottish Enterprise agency, working with Dundee Inward Investment Partnership of Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council. An offer of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) has been made towards the project.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Enterprise, Iain Gray, said: "I am delighted to welcome today's announcement, that Arius3D has decided to set up this ambitious and exciting project in Dundee, ultimately hoping to lead to the creation of 250 jobs. This project fits extremely well with the priorities set out in Smart Successful Scotland; innovation and commercialisation of new technologies, effective links between universities and business and the creation of high value, highly skilled jobs. It also endorses the standing of Scotland as a global player in attracting new innovative technologies and processes. This is excellent news for Dundee and an acknowledgement of the worldwide reputation of Dundee's universities as leading edge players in technology and science research. I wish both Arius3D and the universities every success."
Shona Cormack, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise Tayside, said, "This is another major feather in Dundee's digital media cap. There is no doubt that the city increasingly enjoys an international reputation for excellence in digital media and there is no better demonstration of this than when a Canadian company of the stature of Arius 3D decide to base their European operations here. This form of digital scanning technology clearly has great potential for a range of sectors such as the life sciences and will lead to the creation of many new highly skilled jobs for Dundee and Tayside."
Professor Stephen Partridge, Associate Dean of Research and Enterprise at the University of Dundee said: "This is a very exciting development for the University and the recently-opened Centre for Digital Imaging (CDi) based in the Faculty of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. The College has been a European leader for production and training in computer imaging since 1984.
"The CDi Arius 3dStudio will offer research time across the University's many disciplines, particularly in the creative industries, design, engineering, and life sciences. We believe the technology to be truly ground-breaking and the likely applications are extending week by week as colleagues and partners are consulted. Commercial projects and proof of concept studies will be undertaken alongside pure research. This development is further acknowledgement of Dundee's position as a centre of excellence in life science and creative industries."
A spokesman for the University of Abertay said that they were delighted that Arius 3D's innovative technology would be accessible in Dundee and they looked forward to working with the company.
Notes to Editors