With triple gold at WICE, Bangladesh’s robotics scene looks brighter than ever
Three Bangladeshi student teams achieved remarkable success by winning gold medals at the World Invention Competition and Exhibition (WICE) in Malaysia
Not one, not two, but three gold medals at a robotics competition! For the first time, three different teams from Bangladesh have won gold in the same category of the same international event.
Although Bangladesh hasn't been at the forefront of robotics compared to other countries, the future looks bright as young minds have been striving to make significant contributions in this field over the past few years.
They envision a nation where robots dive into murky waters to locate lost boats, rescue flood victims, and monitor pollution levels.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Imagine robots, crafted by teenagers, that can plough fields, plant seeds, and even spray pesticides—all without putting a single human at risk.
Now, think about a rover designed by high school graduates in just two weeks, capable of carrying 100 kilograms of relief supplies across rocky terrain.
These aren't futuristic visions or stories from other countries; these are remarkable creations of three Bangladeshi student teams, each of whom earned a gold medal at this year's World Invention Competition and Exhibition (WICE) in Malaysia.
Code Black once again
The all-women team made headlines in May winning another Gold in Indonesia.
This time, at WICE, they came forward with 'Hydrox', a multipurpose rover capable of underwater travel that can be used for relief and rescue, measurement of pollution in water-bodies, search missions for lost vessels, transmission of clear footage of underwater structures and ecosystems.
"The technology used for underwater navigation in this rover has never been used before in Bangladesh," said Jannatul Ferdous Fabin, team leader of Code Black.
The third version of this rover was deployed by Code Black to help with the recent flood rescue efforts in Cumilla and a fifth version was taken for entry in the competition.
Code Black, formed on Women's Day 2021, is the first and only all-female robotics team in Bangladesh. It was founded by Sunny Jubaer, co-founder of Team Atlas, as an all-female wing of the gold-winning team.
Initially, Code Black's role in international competitions was largely limited to online participation in collaboration with Team Atlas. Now they operate and compete independently.
Due to their equipment and logistics, Code Black and Team Atlas faced extensive searches and interrogations by airport security in Bangladesh.
The female team faces their fair share of challenges and some more. "Leading an all-female team in Bangladesh is not easy," remarked Fabin.
She further explained, "Beyond the technical aspects, a significant amount of time and effort goes into convincing and reassuring the families of our team members."
For many girls, pursuing robotics is a struggle because of societal prejudices.
"From a young age, they are conditioned to believe that they should study medical science. We want to break this barrier and show them that we have done it, and you can do it too,"she added.
When asked about the team's ultimate goals, Fabin shared, "Our aim is to leverage our technology-based skills for the benefit of the country."
She also noted that despite having opportunities to move abroad, many team members choose to stay and contribute to the country.
"There is only one reason to stay in the country now," she said, "and that is to see if we can somehow do some good. When we represent our country's flag on an international stage, the feeling is simply indescribable."
First international award for Calibrator-Z
This team of high-school graduates perhaps pulled off the most important feat of all, being a team of non-university students competing in a university-level international robotics competition.
"We only had 10-15 days to prepare after receiving confirmation that we could participate in the event," explains Abdullah Ibnah Hasan, a graduate of Dhaka College who was working on the hardware aspect of the project.
Calibrator-Z's Ironclad is an autonomous, AI-powered, solar-driven rover equipped with real-time video monitoring, GPS tracking, and a load capacity of 100 kilograms. Its versatile applications range from disaster relief and rescue operations to emergency food and medical supply delivery, trash collection, and potential use in military logistics and reconnaissance.
On top of the time shortage, more trouble ensued as the young calibrators discovered upon reaching Malaysia that the 'actuators' of their rover were busted due to poor luggage handling.
"The actuator is the part of the rover that helps it navigate uneven terrain," Abdullah explains, adding, "After it got damaged, We assessed the markets in Malaysia, and we didn't have the budget for it."
Seeing no other option, these young scientists decided to bite down and pull off some Tony Stark-level engineering and build four actuators from scratch for their rover 'Ironclad.'
This autonomous, AI-run, solar-powered rover is clad with real-time video-monitoring, GPS tracking, and weight carrying capability of 100 kilograms.
Ironclad's many potential uses include relief, rescue, emergency food and medication supply, trash-cleaning and storage, and the possibility of use in military logistics and reconnaissance.
The young tech geniuses went a step further and broadened the rover's dimensions by incorporating sign-language-to-speech converting capabilities.
"The judges felt we had done too much for our age, and they suggested how we could do even better in future," said Atik Shahriyar, co-founder of Calibrator-Z.
When asked how they felt when their name was announced for the gold medal, Atik said, "It was euphoric. We are young, and yet we participated in the university category. Overall, it was a huge pride to represent our country on foreign soil."
While university-level teams usually have some level of institutional or organisational funding, these students had to build their expensive rover with their own money.
Atik Shahriyar hopes that the big companies of Bangladesh will extend a helping hand in their future endeavours so that they can continue to represent their country on a global level.
The unstoppable Team Atlas
Ever since Team Atlas started winning these contests, it has not stopped. This BRACU-student-led team has represented Bangladesh on the global stage many times.
After securing a gold medal in WSEEC, ISIF '22 and a 9th position in the Australian Rover Challenge among other awards achievements, Team Atlas has come out this year in WICE with 'Ag-Rover,' a multipurpose agricultural rover robot that makes farming easier and safer.
The functions of this rover include seed-sowing, pesticide-spraying, land-ploughing, detecting the pH level of soil and measuring moisture in the air.
"Chemists use gloves and protective gear when developing pesticides," explains Sunny Jubaer, co-founder of Team Atlas, adding, "However, the farmers use them without any safety measures. It comes into contact with their skin and causes skin diseases and even skin cancer."
Ag-rover's automated pesticide-spraying and seed-spreading functions along with its land-ploughing capabilities make it an efficient, environment-friendly, and cost and labour-effective helping hand to the farmers of Bangladesh.
Despite being led by BRACU students, Team Atlas works as a platform that provides a space for school and college students with a thirst for tech glory.
Sunny Jubaer said, "Different universities have CSE clubs, robotics clubs, etc. However, not all students have access to these facilities. We wanted to create a platform where students from any university, school and college can be connected and guided in their projects."
He added that Team Atlas has also been working on other agriculture-related tech including hatchery-farm robots for automated feeding systems and automated dustbin systems in collaboration with RFL and other IT companies.
They are hoping to bring their technology into the mass market.
"One can only comprehend the usefulness of a comb once s/he uses it to brush their hair," he said, adding, "We are giving away free robots to many so a market can be created, not for ourselves, but for those who need it."
