Student and School Innovations Came to Life in the New “TechArena” Hall at TU-Sofia
On 3 December 2025, the newly opened TechArena Hall at the Mechatronics and Clean Technologies Center of TU-Sofia hosted the official ceremony of the Annual Awards of the Research and Development Sector for contributions to applied research. At the beginning of the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Elitsa Gieva, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Academic Staff, presented certificates to the successfully completed projects under the Students Innovation Hub for 2025.
During the ceremony, the participating students and the high-school finalist showcased their completed prototypes to the audience, demonstrating innovative engineering solutions with real practical value.
Embedded Plant Monitoring System with Mobile Application
Awardees: Veselin Gospondinov (FKST) and his mentor, Assist. Prof. Dr. Kamelia Rainova
The project presents a fully functional IoT-based prototype built on an ESP32 microcontroller and a set of environmental sensors. The system monitors soil moisture, temperature, humidity and light levels in real time, while the accompanying mobile application enables remote plant care and notifications. The solution is applicable in automation and smart home systems.
3D Printing and Testing of a Diffuser for the Intake System of an Internal Combustion Engine for a Racing Car
Awardees: Kristina Georgieva (FT) and her metors: Prof. Dr. Eng. Krasimir Nede lchev, Assist. Prof. Dr. Tsvetomir Gechev (FT)
This is the highest-rated scientific project in the competition. The team applied modern additive manufacturing methods, engineering simulations and laboratory testing— including aerodynamic tunnel analyses—to design and optimize a high-efficiency diffuser for a competitive sports vehicle. The work demonstrates strong potential for application in motorsports engineering and component design.
Awarded Project in the “School Innovation Hub” Competition
Automated System for Recognizing the Spatial Orientation of Parts for Packaging
Awardee: Konstantin Naydenov (high-school student)
Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Nikol Hristova (FCST)
Konstantin presented an innovative computer-vision-based system capable of recognizing the orientation of components used in packaging processes—an essential task in industrial automation. The maturity and practical relevance of the project earned him a certificate and an award from the R&D Sector of TU-Sofia.
System for Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Student Dormitories
Awardees:Mihail Dimitrov (EMF), Ivan Ivanov (FIT), Alexander Dilchev (EMF)
Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Kalin Filipov (EMF)
The team developed an integrated system for automated calculation and visualization of the carbon footprint of TU-Sofia’s student dormitories. The innovation combines a specialized software tool and digital information displays, aiming to raise energy awareness and support sustainable practices within the university community.
The event reaffirmed the importance of the Students Innovation Hub, which fosters creativity, research skills and practical engineering competencies among young talents. The presented projects demonstrate that TU-Sofia continues to build an environment where innovative ideas evolve into real, impactful solutions.
