Bangladeshi university students develop AUV for research and security applications

A team of students from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) has unveiled a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that can be used to support activities in the marine research, security, and fisheries sectors.

Named IUB Bongomarine 1.0, the craft is designed to operate safely even in challenging environments. Its duties will include fish stock assessments, debris management, environmental monitoring, naval applications, and search and rescue (SAR).

The AUV being developed is merely a prototype, though the IUB Bongomarine team assured that future examples of the craft can be scaled up to permit broader use across various industries.

Fab Lab IUB designed and built the prototype with technical guidance provided by the IUB's Center for Industrial Automation, Robotics and Internet of Things (RIoT Research Center).

The AUV features advanced navigation systems and machine learning algorithms that will enable it to operate effectively even in underwater areas characterised by challenging conditions.