BIOSE wins awards in three categories at the IEEE R-10 HTC 2024 Innovation Challenge
The 2024 IEEE Region-10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (HTC) Innovation Challenge awards recognized three teams from the Biomedical Science and Engineering Center (BIOSE) for their groundbreaking projects addressing personal and societal challenges. Founded by the Lecturer of the EEE department, Md. Mehedi Hasan Shawon, affiliated with BSRM School of Engineering at BracU, BIOSE is a research hub dedicated to advancing healthcare through biomedical engineering, computational biology, and AI while empowering students to turn ideas into reality. Highlighting the center’s collaborative ethos, Shawon remarked, “BIOSE is open to everyone, making it a unique and exciting space. We collaborate with people from top universities like Curtin University and Queen Mary University of London and local institutions like BUET and CUET.”
Each project carries a compelling backstory. Koushik Dey (Junior, CSE) and his team developed a Bionic Arm with Sensory Feedback to help those who’ve lost upper limb function due to accidents, diseases, or congenital conditions. Anika Nawrin’s (Sophomore, EEE) team created DigiBeat, a 3D-printed MEMS-based stethoscope designed for real-time heart rate monitoring and early prediction of cardiovascular disease using machine learning. “We wanted to meet the needs of vulnerable populations, like the elderly and pregnant women,” said Anika. Nusrat Sultana (Junior, EEE) and her team developed HealthTrack: A versatile health monitoring system that tracks blood sugar, blood pressure, body temperature, and more. Reflecting on her father’s struggles with diabetes, she shared, “I remember how difficult it was for him to access proper care during those times.”
The teams faced challenges but gained valuable lessons. Koushik explained, “Our project touches on many aspects of robotics, AI, and sensor technologies in which we had to build proficiency rapidly.” Anika’s team dealt with signal and hardware issues, realizing the project required further testing. Despite that, she said, “I learned to conduct research thoroughly and take responsibility.” Despite the sleepless nights to ensure the project was functioning, Nusrat shared, “I learned to work under pressure and, most importantly, the value of teamwork.”
Though these projects are still in their early stages, the teams have high hopes for their future impact. “I want the project to be accessible to people at a low cost,” Koushik shared the center’s vital sentiment. In the end, the founder noted, “BIOSE connects BracU students with a diverse group of talented individuals and helps them to learn from different perspectives. In the long run, it will inspire students to think beyond their immediate surroundings and work on ideas to make a difference at BracU and in the world.”
