Bhubaneswar: A centre of excellence for virtual and augmented reality will be shortly set up at the Indian Institute of Technology in Bhubaneswar.

An MoU was signed by the institute on Friday with the state MSME department and the Odisha unit of Software Technological Park of India.

The centre is aimed at providing an impetus to ongoing research and help in taking the research activity to the next level, including immersive visualisation and technology incubation.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who was present during MoU signing, said: "The incubator will be a landmark initiative for promoting research, technology incubation and product development. It will cater to the needs to the start-ups and new generations entrepreneurs working in the area."

The centre will also offer highly-focused courses on virtual and augmented reality to the students.

It will help in developing application platforms for specific skill development programmes based on the industry need and relevance. A cheque of Rs 2.5 crore was handed over to the institute from the state government for the purpose.

Philanthropist and writer Susmita Bagchi had recently donated the fund to the centre.

"This endeavour will help in creating facilities needed to foster research development activity, technology incubation, create start-ups, new generation entrepreneurs, initiation of academic programmes to generate human capital and contribute towards creating an eco-system in this and other related areas," said director of the institute R.V. Raja Kumar.