Chennai, Nov 18 (FN Agency) The eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC), an IIT MadrasInstitute of Eminence Centre in Virtual Reality and related fields, presented the ‘XTIC Award2024 for Innovation’ to legendary music composer Dr. A.R. Rahman on Sunday evening. The award was given in recognition of his visionary work on the Virtual Reality (VR) film ‘Le Musk’ (2022). The award recognizes exceptional contributions to advancing immersive technologies andstorytelling globally. ‘Le Musk’ is a groundbreaking 37-minute VR thriller that integrates multiple sensory elements, including scent, motion, and music, to deliver a deeply immersive cinematic experience. Directed by Rahman, the film follows the journey of Juliet Merdinian, an orphaned musician and heiress, as she sought to uncover the identity of individuals who changed her life, guided solelyby the memory of their scents.
The film’s unique combination of jazz, orchestral and world music, composed by Dr. A.R. Rahman himself, further elevated its sensory storytelling. The term ‘eXtended Reality’ (XR) refers to Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR). IIT Madras is uniquely positioned to lead this effort, thanks to its cutting-edge Haptics Lab and the IoE Center for VR and Haptics. The Experiential Technologies Innovation Center (XTIC) at IIT Madras is a global research hub dedicated to advancing VR, AR, and haptics technologies.As part of the ‘Institute of Eminence’ (IoE) Research Initiative, XTIC fosters interdisciplinary innovation and collaboration between academia and industry in an event XR Summit on 16th and 17th November 2024. By presenting this award, XTIC underscores its commitment to recognizing trailblazers who push the boundaries of experiential technology.