SINGAPORE'S budding interactive digital media scene will get a boost in the next few months with the arrival of top Japanese experts.

The Keio University, a top institute in Japan, is setting up a reseach centre here with the National University of Singapore - the first such centre for Keio outside Japan - to help develop 'wearable body media'.

For example, users can wear a necktie that doubles as an antenna or screen, and one could even embed computers in the body.

This is part of a drive to build up Singapore's expertise in the up and coming digital media field, which will also see other overseas institutes setting up similar centres here.

More than 50 researchers will be involved in the new centre, called Keio-NUS CUTE Centre (CUTE stands for Connective Ubiquitous Technology for Embodiments).

It will focus on connected lifestyle media and embodied interactive technologies.

Among the Japanese researchers coming here is Professor Masa Inakage, renowned creative director of the Spawn movie.

Experts from Singapore include Associate Professor Adrian Cheok, who is the deputy director of research at NUS' Interactive and Digital Media Institute.

The centre was announced by Senior Minister of State for Education and Information, Communications and the Arts, RAdm (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, on Friday at the 14th International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA).

It will be jointly funded by Keio University, NUS and the Interactive Digital Media Research and Development Programme Office (IDMPO) hosted by the Media Development Authority (MDA).

IDMPO on Friday also announced its latest initiative to set aside S$70 million to attract more international institutes to partner local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) to set up research centres in Singapore.

Singapore has earlier attracted the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to conduct research on the challenges faced by the global digital game research community and industry.