Transferring a large-scale, unique digitalization project on National Digital Transformation Day

By hcmut.edu.vn - 10/10/2023

After a year of actively implementing fieldwork, processing a large volume of data, as well as developing a web-based platform with features for virtual reality, the digital transformation project at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMU) has been successfully completed. Portcoast Consultant Corporation took the lead in providing all the human resources, technology, and equipment to collaborate with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMU) in building this large-scale project.

The handover and launch ceremony was held in the afternoon of October 10, 2023, at the University of Technology, simultaneously in response to the National Digital Transformation Day with the theme "Exploiting digital data to create value".

The ceremony was honored to welcome Mr. Lâm Đình Thắng - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications. Representing Portcoast were Mr. Trần Tấn Phúc – Chairman of the Board of Directors, along with members of the Board of Directors and the technical team. Representing the Phú Thọ - University of Technology Alumni Association was Mr. Phạm Văn Tài - Vice President of External Affairs, General Director of THACO Group, along with other members who also attended the ceremony. Representing the University of Technology were Associate Professor Dr. Trần Thiên Phúc – Vice Rector; Associate Professor Dr. Nguyễn Danh Thảo – Vice Rector; Associate Professor Dr. Lê Thị Hồng Nhan – Chairwoman of the Trade Union, along with leaders of various departments and students.

A multifunctional, multi-platform digitalization project

The digital transformation project has brought the entire space of the University of Technology at both campuses onto the digital platform. At the ceremony, Portcoast's technical team fully demonstrated the project's features, from allowing users to explore every location of the University as if they were directly visiting, to measuring positions, calculating geometric parameters, and more.

The project showcases the three-dimensional space of 29 buildings and 50 typical laboratories from 12 faculties/centers, research centers, and the University of Technology library through a high-quality 360-degree imaging system. Additionally, there are bilingual Vietnamese - English information, images, sounds, videos, and more introducing the faculties, centers, and teaching equipment. As a result, users will have an overall view of the learning and living environment at the University of Technology, meeting the University's remote communication and enrollment needs. Furthermore, experts from international accreditation organizations can use the project to evaluate the infrastructure criteria without spending much time and costs.

Especially, the digital transformation project also integrates many other "dynamic" features, allowing users to interact directly at any point on the University's 3D model, such as measuring positions, calculating XYZ coordinate geometric parameters, perimeter, area, color parameters, comparing infrastructure changes over the years, and more. Additionally, Portcoast introduced a feature where lecturers can directly note damaged equipment on 360-degree images on this platform, which will then automatically notify the responsible staff of the exact equipment location via email.

This is a new special feature compared to traditional 3D Virtual Tour platforms that typically only provide experiences with 360-degree images. When integrated into the virtual reality project, these "dynamic" features will provide accurate and detailed information about the University's infrastructure, thereby optimizing management, maintenance, repair, and construction of infrastructure, as well as enhancing the University's digital management efficiency.

Besides, Portcoast initially integrated some e-books into the digital platform, allowing students to share the database simultaneously without spatial and time access limitations. In the virtual space of the Library, students can move to the bookshelf and click on the digitized book to read it.

Additionally, Portcoast will create separate access accounts for the University's staff, employees, and students to categorize user levels for these features.

For this project, users can experience it on various devices, from computers to phones/iPads and virtual reality (VR) glasses. Experiencing VR glasses for the first time, Lê Nhật Tiến (a student of the Transportation Engineering Department) was a bit confused. "But after a while, VR glasses provided a very intuitive and realistic visual experience of the entire campus landscape. Not only observing, but this device also offers an interactive experience with the University's resources such as the digital library, e-books, etc.," Tiến shared.

Expressing excitement about directly viewing this digitalization project, Mr. Lâm Đình Thắng - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications affirmed that the project is meaningful not only for the University of Technology but also for the general management work of Ho Chi Minh City, especially in digital transformation and building a digital government. The knowledge of technology demonstrated at the ceremony can be advised to the city to implement strategies on three pillars: digital government, digital economy, and digital society. Mr. Thắng also hoped that in the future, local authorities at all levels of the city can connect with Portcoast and the University of Technology to widely apply this digital transformation platform.

Continuing to upgrade the project in the future

The digital transformation project was completed by Portcoast and the University of Technology within a year. The fieldwork (including photography, laser scan stations, flycam) at the University's two campuses took one week, with most of the time spent on data processing, aggregation, and programming to build the web-based platform containing the virtual reality features. A total of 3528 single images were taken to stitch into 143 360-degree images, along with approximately 194 laser scan stations. Portcoast applied many modern technologies and equipment such as coordinate & elevation positioning technology with Trimble R12i GPS devices, Leica GS18i GPS, Leica TS60 Robotic Total Station; 3D Laser Scanning technology with Trimble MX50 Mobile Mapping device, Leica P50 Laser Scanner, RTC 360 Laser, and more.

Associate Professor Dr. Trần Thiên Phúc assessed that the workload undertaken by both parties was enormous. "It can be said that this project involved a lot of effort and dedication from both the University and the company, of which I especially appreciate the expertise of Portcoast's technical team and the world's most modern technologies that the company has applied to the project," Associate Professor Dr. Trần Thiên Phúc shared, hoping that when the project is introduced to the public, it will bring positive effects.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Trần Thiên Phúc, the project not only serves the University's digital transformation purposes but also symbolizes the strong partnership between the University of Technology and Portcoast, a company founded by University of Technology alumni Mr. Trần Tấn Phúc (Civil Engineering graduate, class of 1988). Although the cooperation agreement was signed on February 15, 2022, the University and the company had previously engaged in various joint activities in training, research, and technology transfer. "The cooperation model with Portcoast is operating very effectively," Associate Professor Dr. Trần Thiên Phúc hoped that both parties would maintain and strengthen their cooperation to create many good values for society.

The birth of the University's infrastructure digital transformation project contributes to promoting the comprehensive digital transformation process in the management of the educational organization at the University more effectively. Associate Professor Dr. Mai Thanh Phong - Rector said that digital transformation is one of the University's top goals. As a large technical university in the Southern region, the University has many advantages in accessing new technology trends and equipment to serve this goal. Facing the inevitable need for digital transformation, the Rector also emphasized that the University of Technology has been aware of and implemented digitization for many years, making fundamental investments in infrastructure and devising long-term investment strategies. In parallel, Associate Professor Dr. Mai Thanh Phong also mentioned some difficulties related to renovating and upgrading the management system, changing perceptions and thinking of the various levels within the University, and related issues such as funding and facilities.

However, in realizing the digital transformation goal, the University of Technology is not going alone but always receives attention from the authorities and the support of partner businesses, and this project with Portcoast is proof of that. In the future, the University and the company will continue to upgrade the digital transformation project by digitizing reference books, building 3D models of equipment in laboratories, notifying the status of laboratory equipment via email to the responsible staff, and more.

Images from the ceremony: