Engineering students of Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) have emerged winners and 1st runners-up at the Academic City University Tech Expo 2026, held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the Academic City University College campus.
The competition, an annual innovation challenge, was organized on the theme, “Innovating to Reverse the Effects of illegal Mining on the Earth.” The event tasked participants with creating practical and impactful responses to environmental degradation.
GCTU was represented by two teams – Terra Sense and Rhizopure – who delivered outstanding performances. Team Terra Sense emerged overall winners, while Team Rhizopure secured the first runner-up position.
Team Terra Sense developed a smart underground detection device capable of sensing vibrations from vehicles, heavy machinery and human movement. The device, which was built using embedded Internet of Things (IoT) technology and machine learning, distinguishes between different vibration sources and sends real-time alerts to mobile devices, aiding in the detection of locations encountering illegal mining activities.
Team Rhizopure, on the other hand, designed an innovative water restoration system aimed at reducing heavy metal contamination. The project combines biology and technology through phytoremediation and microcontroller systems. It uses hyperaccumulator plants, such as water hyacinth, to absorb heavy metals, while a dashboard monitors water quality indicators including turbidity, temperature and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
The teams participated under the Engineering Students Association (ESA) Robotics and Identity and Access Token (IAT) Community, a student-led group focused on advancing knowledge and innovation in robotics.
At a brief ceremony held on March 24, 2026, at the Faculty of Engineering, the teams presented their awards to the Dean, Prof. Ruhiya Abubakar. The honours included a plaque awarded to Team Terra Sense for excellence in creativity and bold ideas, a cash prize for emerging overall winners, and a cash prize for Team Rhizopure as first runner-up.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Abubakar commended the students for their innovation and noted that the faculty’s shift from passive to active learning is equipping students with practical skills to independently develop solutions. She expressed pride in the University’s achievement, highlighting that despite competing against long-established universities, GCTU emerged victorious.
The Faculty Officer, Mrs. Nana Aba Ledger, also congratulated the students and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence to bring pride to the University and the nation.
The event brought together students from universities across the country to develop solutions to pressing societal issues.
