An advanced Research and Innovation Lab developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), was made available to the University of Peradeniya (UoP) last week. The Lab pioneered by CodeGen International (Pvt) Ltd., in collaboration with the UoP, was launched on June 8. The second of its kind, the QBITS Innovation Lab was declared open by UoP Vice Chancel lor Pro f Upul B. Dissanayake, and CodeGen International Chief Executive Officer Dr Harsha Subasinghe, followed by project demonstrations based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Nanotechnology and other Advanced Technologies, a press release said.

QBITS is an industry academia initiated to provide state-of-theart Research and Development environments, where students are guided to build solutions that address real world problems, by harnessing cutting-edge Technologies of the future. Projects will be selected based on relevance to the industry, its life cycle and industry needs, jointly supervised by the UoP Professors and CodeGen’s core team headed by Dr Subasinghe, where all projects are fully funded by CodeGen. All Research assignments initiated at the QBITS Lab, are products built on advanced Algorithms developed by applying Deep Learning models, Autonomous Technologies and advanced Product Engineering collaborations.

The current facility gives opportunities to students to build extraordinary Innovations from Super Capacitors that are in high demand globally, high performance Bromine Floor Battery Technology, Transparent Super Hydrophobic Glass Prototyping, advanced Drone Technology platform with Stabilisation and Intelligent Navigation capabilities and Automation coupled with Vision-based Algorithms for Food and related-industry applications. “What we innovate today at QBITS Labs, will significantly transform and facilitate many spheres of consumer life. It’s not about how much profit you make, but the value of your innovation or, the company that matters, and this is why we should continuously design solutions and products, where the IPR is of very high commercial value.

How we harness these Technologies, and the day we decide to take risks as a nation, will be our strength, in an era where the Technological landscape can shift overnight in realtime,” stated Dr Subasinghe. “Venturing into PPP with industry experts, is the only way to ensure that the higher education sector in Sri Lanka contributes to the National Development in a substantial way. The QBITS Innovation Lab will revitalise Sri Lanka’s higher education system, at a juncture where industry expertise is required to test practicality as well as marketability of the innovation. In the long run, this too will assist Universities to enhance their accreditation, globally," stated VC Prof Dissanayake.