Innovation in Action: collaboration
powers creative education
Two pioneering organisations in Liverpool City Region are showing how digital innovation and creative thinking can spark lasting impact – thanks to support from the Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC)’s Horizons programme.
Birkenhead-based Scenegraph Studios specialises in cutting-edge AI and virtual and augmented reality tools, building immersive experiences for industries like education, healthcare and training. Its work makes XR more accessible and more meaningful, whether that’s helping users manage mental health or practise skills for job interviews in a pressure-free environment.
The VEC’s team of digital experts recently collaborated with Scenegraph to investigate its GPU (graphics processing unit) systems, devising an alternative solution that halved energy usage without compromising performance – this is vital as electricity is the key cost (rather than software or hardware). The findings were compiled in a comparison tool, giving Scenegraph greater insight into system performance and new opportunities for testing AI models and languages. The team researched and tested a range of AI Large Language Models (LLM) factoring in how many words the different models could generate; more words means a faster response, which leads to even more responsive AI Digital Humans.
The impact was immediate. With capital grant funding secured through Horizons, Scenegraph invested in powerful new servers to boost development speed and output and used pixel streaming technology to open its AI avatars to the world. What might take other companies weeks to create, Scenegraph can now do in just an hour – from concept to completed, fully interactive avatar.
“Support from the team at VEC to take this piece of research and process and run with it was a great help to us at Scenegraph,” says Scenegraph director, Dr David Tully. “This gave us the time to focus on building the pipeline for real-time scenario-based conversational avatars while having another team focus on a small, but very important process for the near future, allowing us to review results quicker and bringing on domain experts easily by building a dashboard they can help our vision grow.”
Simultaneously, dot-art was working on an accessible way for school pupils to share artwork. Known for connecting people with affordable, locally-made artwork, more recently the Liverpool-based gallery has been leading the way in digital innovation with a nationwide schools programme, Art Bytes – with a virtual gallery created by Scenegraph. The art and EdTech programme combines an inter-school art competition with a bespoke virtual gallery and in-person celebration events, nurturing talent, raising ambition and developing confidence and cultural capital.
The VEC team explored how AR (augmented reality) and XR (extended reality) could make artwork more interactive, using a custom-built prototype. Workshops introduced the dot-art team to new tools and techniques for transforming 2D images into 3D digital assets and helped them gain confidence in adopting new technologies.
Embedding immersive AR directly into its website using WebXR means dot-art can reach a wider audience without the need for specialist equipment or downloads – making the experience more inclusive and accessible for schools and families.
With plans to bring immersive digital galleries to over 200 schools next year, dot-art is giving young people new opportunities to grow their creativity, confidence and digital skills.
“We believe Liverpool City Region has the potential to become a true powerhouse for tech and AI for good, as local businesses lead in the skills that will futureproof our regional economy.
We’re proud to be
part of that
journey.”
Now, the two organisations are reprising their collaboration: funding from VEC has allowed Scenegraph to update the Art Bytes virtual gallery, reflecting changes to the technology in the six years since its launch. Alongside new AR tools, Scenegraph’s work makes sure Art Bytes is fully up-to-date for the next generation of students showcasing their artwork in an accessible virtual environment.
Lucy Byrne, dot-art’s director and founder of Art Bytes, says: “Thanks to the partnership with VEC and Scenegraph, Art Bytes will be able to inspire and engage more children and young people across England with its innovative approach to creative education. This initiative not only fosters creative interests from an early age but also plays a crucial role in nurturing talent within the creative economy of the Liverpool City Region and wider country, overcoming boundaries, building confidence and celebrating creativity from an early stage.”
Both organisations were involved our Novel network – a series of events driving innovation across Liverpool City Region and cementing the network of innovation-driven business leaders.
Scenegraph secured an exhibition space with VEC’s support at the AI Showcase event hosted by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, designed to establish the region as an ‘AI for Good’ exemplar. “Our relationship with the VEC team continues to flourish – we thoroughly enjoyed our slot at the AI Showcase, and joining the cohort at the Novel sessions,” says Dr Tully. “We believe Liverpool City Region has the potential to become a true powerhouse for tech and AI for good, as local businesses lead in the skills that will futureproof our regional economy. We’re proud to be part of that journey.”
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The Horizons Project is a £5.2m programme funded by the Liverpool City Region’s £44m UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation, to drive business innovation across the city region.