Research prototype
IoT-based solar still
A renewable, low-cost solar still for turning saline water into drinking water in coastal Bangladesh, with sensors that report yield and water quality.
The problem
Salinity has pushed into the groundwater and ponds that coastal Bangladeshi households depend on for drinking water. Desalination plants are expensive to build and run, and bottled water is out of reach for many families.
The approach
The still uses sunlight alone to evaporate saline water under a transparent cover and collect the clean condensate. Sensors log how much water it produces and its quality, so a household or field team can see whether the unit is working without testing samples by hand.
The result
Our team, Biostill, reached the top 10 of 244 participants at the BRAC and IRCWASH Water Hackathon. In September 2025 we took the pilot plant to Dulargat Nilima Jakob College, Bhola, and ran it live for students after a talk on desalination and conventional water treatment, co-presented with Md. Shahidul Islam.