Young innovators: SRI-B sets focus on next-gen tech

Samsung R&D Institute, Bangalore (SRI-B), which is celebrating 25 successful years in India, has announced a refreshed R&D strategy for itself. Over the next five years, SRI-B will explore Multi-Device Intelligence, beyond 5G, Blockchain and Data Science areas even as it continues to create strong differentiation for Samsung through innovations in camera technologies, Artificial Intelligence and 5G.

SRI-B, which has created a strong culture of filing patents among its engineers over the last decade, will also expand Open Innovation with startups, students and universities to help strengthen the innovation and startup ecosystem. It will drive this effort by scaling up its industry-academia programme PRISM under which it has been working with engineering students and faculty on real-world research and development projects in cutting edge technology areas. So far, it has worked with close to 500 students in the country and some of these students have gone on to file patents along with Samsung engineers.

SRI-B, Samsung’s largest R&D facility outside Korea, was set up in 1996. Over the years, it has grown into an advanced R&D centre for Samsung globally, with expertise in wireless communications, multimedia and image processing, artificial intelligence in vision, voice and text technologies and Internet of Things (IoT). SRI-B engineers have filed over 3,200 patents so far and over the last three years the number of patents being filed annually has quadrupled. More Gen Z and Millennial engineers at SRI-B are filing patents and around 80% of the patent creators were engineers who filed patents for the first time in their careers.

“It has been an incredible journey since 1996 as SRI-B has been Samsung’s pillar of strength. As we complete yet another milestone, we will focus on breakthrough innovations with our refreshed R&D strategy that will lead to shaping of new global lifestyles inspired from India. We will grow sustainably as we will do our part to uplift the skill base of students especially in the Karnataka region through our unique CSR programmes,” said Dipesh Shah, managing director, SRI-B.