Raon Meta Lays Foundation for Commercializing XR-Based Animal Practice... "Opening an Era of Autopsy Training Without Animal Sacrifice"

From the left, Professor Daeyeon Hwang, Chair of the Animal Experiment Ethics Committee at Pusan National University, and Jongwon Park, Head of Management at Raon Meta, are taking a commemorative photo after signing a 'Strategic Partnership Agreement (MOU) for Cooperation in Animal Experiment Practice Programs.' Provided by Raon Secure

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Raon Meta, a subsidiary of Raon Secure, has set a new standard for ethical and safe animal practice education by applying extended reality (XR) technology to educational training sites for the first time.

Raon Meta, a company specializing in generative AI-based metaverse platforms, led by CEO Lee Soonhyung, announced on December 8 that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement (MOU) with the Animal Experiment Ethics Committee at Pusan National University for cooperation in animal experiment practice programs.

The experimental animal autopsy practice content of 'Raon Metademy' is designed to replicate the actual laboratory environment in a virtual space, allowing users to experience the entire process from preparation to autopsy and carcass disposal using virtual rats, without sacrificing real animals. This approach significantly reduces the stress, anxiety, and trial-and-error that novice trainees might experience when handling living tissues, while also greatly improving difficulties caused by a lack of practice spaces and equipment.

In particular, this method of conducting practice without sacrificing laboratory animals helps implement the 3R (Replacement, Refinement, Reduction) principles of animal ethics, which have become an important social issue in recent years. It is also effective in building a standardized practice environment that overcomes limitations of location and equipment.

Raon Meta plans to use this collaboration as an opportunity to expand the supply of XR-based training content to a variety of educational, medical, and research institutions, and to establish a virtual practice ecosystem with enhanced standardization, safety, and accessibility. The company also aims to broaden the application of its technology to global organizations and enterprises, contributing to the development of world-class professionals and the creation of ethical training environments.

Jongwon Park, Head of Management at Raon Meta, stated, "The immediate application of our technology to the education field right after patent registration in Korea and the United States is an important case that demonstrates both the necessity and commercial viability of XR-based practice." He added, "We will continue to actively address social issues through technological advancement and global market expansion of XR technology."

Professor Daeyeon Hwang, Chair of the Animal Experiment Ethics Committee at Pusan National University, said, "We plan to pilot Raon Meta's XR training technology as part of the annual animal experiment practice education program. Through this, experimenters will be able to acquire sufficient skills and put the 3R policy into practice, laying the foundation for future education."

Meanwhile, Raon Meta officially demonstrated its technological originality and excellence last month by completing patent registration for its XR-based experimental animal autopsy practice technology in both Korea and the United States. Through the MOU with Pusan National University, the company has established a foundation for securing a commercial reference that can be immediately utilized in actual educational settings, making it the first case of XR-based practice commercialization in the domestic experimental animal education field.

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