Illumia Labs, a Canada-headquartered pioneer in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) training, is targeting the Asia-Pacific market, with a specific focus on setting up a local presence and cultivating an advanced, AI-powered XR training ecosystem in Taiwan. The company, co-founded by two former Singapore Air Force pilots, is addressing a critical global labor shortage.
Alan Tay, Illumia Labs co-founder and CEO, detailed the company's unique approach to immersive training with generative AI, their ambitious Series A funding plan and how the firm aims to leverage Taiwan's strong technological infrastructure in an interview with DIGITIMES.
From Cockpit to Code: The Birth of a Digital Human
The inspiration for Illumia Labs, according to Alan Tay, stemmed from a persistent real-world problem observed while running a flight school: a constant shortage of mechanics and flight instructors dating back to 2015, which significantly impacted the flight school's ability to produce trained pilots with reduced timeline.
After successfully developing an initial Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in 2021 to digitize a flight instructor, the company began moving beyond aviation, realizing the potential for its technology across numerous vocations.
Illumia Labs differentiates itself from traditional VR/AR training methods by focusing on human-centred AI. The core technology involves:
1. Behavioural Replication: Training the AI to copy the human instructor's behaviour, subtle actions, and complex assessment methods using video data.
2. Immersive Scenario-Based Learning: Placing the resulting "digital human" into immersive environments (VR, AR, or XR) where it can act as a mentor or role-playing partner.
3. Sensor Agnosticism: The technology is not restricted to bulky goggles but can be integrated into AR/XR glasses or sensor-filled training rooms.
"We are not there to replace the human, but to make sure that the human is capable doing their jobs with much more proficiency," Tay stated.
Beyond Maintenance: AI in Customer Service
While founded in aviation and mechanics, the company has found diverse applications for its technology, particularly in customer service such as training flight attendants, banking staff and other customer facing staff. The AI is designed to ensure a "gold standard" of service that includes proper tone, language, and body language.
A key unique feature is the AI's ability to conduct evaluation while the trainee is physically performing a task. For example, the AI can role-play as a "disruptive passenger" while a flight attendant trainee practices virtual food service in a confined space. This hands-on, contextual assessment offers a dynamic and individualized immersive training experience unlike simple chatbot conversations.
Crucially, the system is designed to handle multilingual and culturally sensitive training.
Alan Tay noted that the product is designed to be 80% complete, stating: "The other 20% I need the local experts to let us know what are the local customs. We can add on, and our AI learns from the video." This final, customized portion is built into the business model as a one-time Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) fee, alongside standard SaaS licenses and seed models for larger organizations.
Aggressive Expansion and Taiwan's Role
Illumia Labs is executing an aggressive scaling plan, following its successful model in Singapore and a recent expansion into Malaysia. Participating in the CTA program, the company views Taiwan as a strategic hub for the Indo-Pacific rollout.
The biggest challenge the company faces is not technological capability, but infrastructure and data connectivity. "Not everywhere has accessibility to 5G," Alan Tay lamented, citing issues with latency and computing power accessibility in various global markets. However, the co-founder expressed optimism about Taiwan, stating that its advanced infrastructure is expected to make the local rollout "a lot more smoother" than in other parts of the regions. "Taiwan's success stories", he added, "will serve as vital pilot cases for further international scaling."
Alan Tay, founder of Illumia Labs. Credit: Illumia Labs
Article edited by Joseph Tsai