North-Tyneside based, Fuzzy Logic Studio, has become the latest member of the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) after securing a new client at its 2021 Expo event.
It was at the Expo event that, Fuzzy Logic Studio Director, Harvey Trent, met Peter Routledge, Curriculum Developer for the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which is a member of the NEAA.
As a direct result of this meeting, the company has been awarded a contract to develop an Augmented Reality (AR) training solution for HVM Catapult, and has subsequently decided to expand into the broader automotive sector, joining the NEAA as a member.
The contract is for The Emerging Skills Project, a national pilot within the electrification agenda, geared towards making the UK a world leader in battery technology, power electronics, motors and drives. Fuzzy Logic Studio will deliver the AR application required to enhance learning methods in a national curriculum for apprentices learning electric vehicle (EV) battery assembly.
The project, which was launched by the Department for Education (DfE) and HVM Catapult in March 2021, provides cutting-edge training focussed on addressing the future skills gaps in manufacturing and the wider engineering workforce. It is funded by the DfE, as part of the government’s Skills for Jobs plan.
Based in North Tyneside, Fuzzy Logic Studio is a software development company that helps organisations enhance processes, communication, and customer experience using immersive technologies - Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and photorealistic 3D visualisations. It has been operating since 2011 and was named AR Developer of the Year in 2013. Clients include Hyundai, Renault, United Nations, Anglo American and Microsoft.
Launched in March 2015, to support the economic, sustainable growth and competitiveness of the sector in the North East of England, the NEAA has over 300 cluster participants, is the largest automotive cluster in the UK and one of the fastest growing clusters across Europe.
Members benefit from the promotion of the North East automotive sector’s capabilities on regional, national and international levels and the network’s ability to connect the supply chain to business opportunities. The network generates collaboration opportunities and hosts regular networking and knowledge transfer events. Members also gain from strategic direction, support with route to market, profile raising, shared intelligence, capability improvement, knowledge transfer and sector engagement.
Harvey Trent, Fuzzy Logic Studio, Director, said: “Since expanding our footprint in the North East, we have been tracking the automotive sector. The region is at the forefront of the drive towards electrification and we are proud to be part of the team delivering this UK-wide skills development programme.
“The positive outcomes we gained from attending the event goes to show the value of industry specific networking and joining membership organisations, such as the NEAA. We are now looking forward to seeing how we can support other businesses in the sector to implement innovative immersive technology (AR/VR) solutions to impact areas including training, maintenance, sales and marketing.”
The collaboration between newest member, Fuzzy Logic Studio, and HVM Catapult, is truly cutting edge and will help to revolutionise training, whilst also addressing the skills gap shortage that must be rectified for the future health of our sector
Paul Butler, CEO, North East Automotive Alliance, said: “The collaboration between newest member, Fuzzy Logic Studio, and HVM Catapult, is truly cutting edge and will help to revolutionise training, whilst also addressing the skills gap shortage that must be rectified for the future health of our sector. It stands to further highlight the outstanding quality of outputs coming directly from our region and how the NEAA provides exemplar opportunity for collaboration, with the Expo being a key mechanism for this.
“This could not be a better time to be working within electrification and the North East automotive sector. The recent news that Britishvolt has secured £40million investment from Glencore and plans to raise a further £200 million, is a significant boost to our already flourishing sector and welcome news for our membership.”
Nicola Kirkwood, Project Engineer (Emerging Skills Project), WMG University of Warwick, said: “Having been introduced to Harvey and the Fuzzy Logic team, we have been delighted with the collaborative approach to AR app development and 360⁰ videos, which has enabled us to use the latest technology to provide as much ‘hands on experience’ to learners without any risk of safety critical issues. This allows learners to progress at their own pace in a safe environment. These assets will prove invaluable as they will be available to everyone through the Emerging Skills Project for the benefit of the whole automotive sector.”
