Gold medal at ITEX 2026 for creative innovation

UTAR researcher Dr Kaur Kirandeep Kulwant from the Department of Population Medicine at UTAR Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MK-FMHS) won a Gold Award at the 37th International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2026, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) from 18 to 19 May 2026. ITEX is a platform that brings together inventors, entrepreneurs, and investors. It offers an invaluable networking platform for experts from the research, business, and public sectors globally.

Dr Kaur, together with co-researchers Prof Dr Ts Manjit Singh Sidhu and Avin Mahajan, as well as Dr Andrew Yew from Ministry XR, received the Gold Award in the Education category for their groundbreaking invention titled “Mixed Reality AI Powered OTOLENS”.

OTOLENS is an extended reality (XR) innovation designed to teach complex ear anatomy. By integrating 3D interactive models, it helps medical students explore the middle and inner ear with high precision, overcoming the limitations of traditional 2D resources. Dr Kaur shared that the concept of OTOLENS was inspired by the difficulty students face in understanding ear structures from flat textbooks.

The invention has several practical applications. It can be used in anatomy labs, ENT training, and remote learning platforms, enabling medical students to practice anatomical identification repeatedly and without risk. Beyond the classroom, it improves healthcare training quality, reduces reliance on expensive cadaveric specimens, and sets a benchmark for XR adoption in medical education, making advanced training more sustainable and accessible.

In terms of societal and industry impact, this project contributes to medical excellence by producing better-trained medical professionals with a deeper understanding of otology, thereby improving surgical safety and patient outcomes. It also drives industry innovation by setting a benchmark for the adoption of XR in the healthcare education industry, demonstrating how digital tools can modernise traditional teaching frameworks. Additionally, it enhances accessibility by reducing reliance on expensive physical cadaveric specimens.

Dr Kaur expressed that winning the Gold Award at ITEX 2026 was a deeply gratifying validation of her team’s vision and hard work. She noted that this honour confirms the potential of extended reality technology to address real-world problems in medical education. She attributed the success to the synergy of the research team and the steadfast support of UTAR, and stated that the award reinforces her passion to continue advancing digital health and immersive technology.

The team also attributed this recognition to the university’s and faculty’s support through their established collaborative research environment that promotes innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. This encourages faculty members to engage in cutting-edge topics such as XR technology and digital health, while providing an intellectual space for academics to explore complex medical education challenges.

This project directly aligns with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, as it ultimately contributes to better diagnostic and surgical care for patients by enhancing the training of healthcare professionals. Additionally, it aligns with SDG 4: Quality Education, as it promotes the use of innovative technology to provide equitable, effective, and inclusive learning tools for medical undergraduates and postgraduates. Furthermore, it aligns with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, as it showcases the translational potential of digital health innovations, fostering technological advancement within the academic and healthcare sectors.

Dr Kaur displaying the award