BRACU’s ‘Dubomini’ Wins Top Award at IEB Showcase
BRAC University’s robotics team, BRACU Duburi, won the Best Project Award at the IEB Project Showcasing Competition 2026 for its autonomous underwater vehicle, Dubomini.
BRAC University’s robotics team, BRACU Duburi, has won the Best Project Award at the Project Showcasing Competition 2026 organized by the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB). The team earned the prestigious recognition for its autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), “Dubomini.”
The competition, held at the IEB headquarters in Ramna, Dhaka, brought together engineering students from leading universities and institutions across Bangladesh to present innovative projects and research-based solutions.
|
Representing BRAC University, the BRACU Duburi team impressed judges with Dubomini, a compact autonomous underwater robot designed to operate independently beneath the water’s surface. Since 2017, BRAC University has been supporting students in advanced research and the development of practical underwater robotic systems. Dubomini is capable of navigating underwater environments without continuous human control. Similar to a skilled swimmer, it can move in multiple directions, turn efficiently and maneuver through confined spaces while carrying out precise tasks. The vehicle is powered by batteries and features a smart power management system that separately supports its propulsion motors and onboard computer. This design enhances reliability by ensuring that a power issue in one subsystem does not disrupt the operation of the other. Using cameras and a range of sensors, Dubomini can assess water depth, orientation and surrounding conditions. Its onboard software processes this information to detect obstacles and identify objects, enabling the vehicle to make decisions and respond autonomously to changing environments. These capabilities allow Dubomini to perform complex underwater missions such as passing through gates, avoiding obstacles and identifying designated targets with minimal human intervention. The technology has potential applications in underwater exploration, environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection and marine research.
|
|
According to BRAC University, the achievement reflects the institution’s commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Through initiatives like BRACU Duburi, the university continues to promote innovation, research excellence and collaborative problem-solving for real-world challenges.
