WA TAFE students win award for ANZAC app

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

• North Metropolitan TAFE students win award for augmented reality app
• Students will now represent Western Australia on the national stage 

The Liberal National Government has congratulated Western Australian TAFE students who created an award-winning ANZAC app which tells the story of West Australians who fought in the First World War.

Acting Premier and Training and Workforce Development Minister Liza Harvey said the free augmented reality app allowed users to look through a tablet or phone at a designated location in Kings Park, and see the character of Sgt Tom McKinnon appear in 3D.

"Through the app, ANZAC Tom tells stories to the app users which were taken from the actual diary entries of Western Australian soldiers," Mrs Harvey said.

"Sgt Tom McKinnon is played by popular Perth actor Myles Pollard who donned a motion-capture suit to create his character, which the TAFE students built the app around."

The project was a joint initiative between North Metropolitan TAFE, Frame AR, the Returned and Services League of Australia WA Branch and Kings Park and Botanic Garden.

"This is a great example of TAFE's industry partnerships where students work together on real projects for clients and gain experience, a portfolio of real work and employment," the Acting Premier said.

North Metropolitan TAFE and Frame AR's ANZAC Tom Imaginarium app took out the 'Most Creative Media/Entertainment Technology Award' at the recent INCITE Awards.

They will now go on to represent Western Australia at the Australian Information Industry Association National iAwards which will be held in Melbourne in September 2016.

Mrs Harvey said the app has had more than 5,000 installs so far and seen by more than 10,000 users.  The app is also currently installed at the Army Museum of Western Australia and 12 regional schools across WA.

"Our TAFE students are at the cutting edge of technology and emerging trends, and I am proud to say all the students involved have now entered rewarding careers in their chosen fields of media and animation," she said.

Fact File

• ANZAC Tom was launched before Remembrance Day 2015 at Kings Park
• The app has had more than 5,000 installs
• The students involved studied Diploma of Software Development, Diploma of Digital Media Technologies and Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media courses