PeraCom undergraduates delivered an outstanding performance at Project Nova 2026 – University Category, organized by AIESEC in University of Sri Jayewardenepura, securing the Championship and Third Place in the university-level software innovation competition held on 5th September 2026 at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

The competition challenged university students to identify real-world problems and develop innovative software solutions in the form of web, mobile, or desktop applications. The competition progressed through several stages, including proposal submission, a mandatory workshop, UI prototype submission, and a final round featuring live presentations and panel discussions before a judging panel. From 20 teams selected for the University Category, 10 teams advanced to the final round.

The Championship was awarded to Team GUARD for GUARD, a smart IoT-based large-scale aquarium management system designed for commercial aquatic retailers, high-end breeders, and home users. The system integrates an ESP32-based monitoring platform with temperature, pH, turbidity, TDS, and IR sensors, along with automated actuator modules such as feeders and water pumps. The cloud-hosted platform enables efficient monitoring and management of aquarium environments. The winning team comprised Thisen Lakdinu, Ravindu Ashan, Shashika Sathsarani, and  Asindu Chandrasekara.

The Third Place was secured by Team Hermes for RouteLK, a smart IoT-based bus tracking and passenger assistance system. RouteLK combines an ESP32-based hardware tracking node equipped with GPS, ultrasonic passenger counting, and GSM connectivity with a fully serverless AWS backend and a cross-role Flutter mobile application. The platform provides real-time bus tracking, booking, and passenger assistance features for passengers, drivers, and bus operators. The team consisted of Thimal Liyanage, Dinithi Epitakaduwa, Lakshika Senevirathne, and  Walter Ravindu Sudasinghe.

From innovative ideas to impactful solutions, the achievements of Team GUARD and Team Hermes reflect the creativity, dedication, and technical excellence of PeraCom undergraduates. Their success is a proud achievement for the students and further strengthens the recognition of the Department of Computer Engineering and the University of Peradeniya. Congratulations to both teams on their outstanding performance at Project Nova 2026!

Written By: Hirushi Adikari (Editor/Association of Computer Engineering Students)