On October 30th, Prof. Yiyu Cai, a tenured professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, was invited to FOAIE to enhance the understanding of emerging technological trends in education, expand international viewpoints, and promote interdisciplinary dialogue. During his visit, Prof. Cai presented a distinguished lecture entitled "Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation on Robotics, AI, and VR," and engaged in comprehensive academic discussions with the faculty and students of FOAIE.
In his lecture, Professor Cai presented NTU's cutting-edge educational framework and distinctive teaching methodologies, encapsulated in the phrase “The top young university takes the young to the top.” He elaborated on the role of virtual reality technology in the context of Industry 4.0, emphasizing NTU's pioneering efforts in incorporating VARTeL (Virtual & Augmented Reality Technology-enhanced Learning) into educational practices. Through case studies from kindergartens, K-12 schools, special education programs, and universities within Singapore's education system, Professor Cai illustrated how VARTeL enriches learning in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, aids children with special needs, simulates professional environments, fosters wildlife conservation, and merges traditional textbooks with modern technology. His presentation provided valuable perspectives for faculty and students on the potential applications of VARTeL across diverse educational sectors, including higher education, K-12, vocational training, and special education. During the Q&A session, faculty and students actively explored the practical applications of VARTeL.
Before the lecture, Professor Cai visited the National Engineering Research Center for Educational Big Data, engaging in discussions with faculty leaders and researchers. These interactions cultivated a mutual understanding for future collaborations among faculty and students, laying the groundwork for joint research initiatives between CCNU and NTU.
Prof. Yiyu Cai is the Deputy Director of NTU’s Center of Augmented & Virtual Reality, Institute for Media Innovation, Bioinformatics Research Centre, and Nanyang Center for Supercomputing and Visualization. His interdisciplinary research spans healthcare, construction, and education, with a strong focus on the applications of VR, AI, and robotics. An advocate of cross-disciplinary research and international partnerships, Prof. Cai brings extensive expertise to advancing global collaboration and innovation.
