Medipol graduates secured second place in Türkiye in the HAVELSAN SUIT Program

Mustafa Furkan Beker and Abdullah Tan, graduates of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Istanbul Medipol University School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, secured second place in Türkiye in the SUIT Program, implemented by HAVELSAN to support young talent and strengthen university-industry collaboration. Developed under the supervision of Prof. Mehmet Kemal Özdemir, a faculty member at Istanbul Medipol University School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the project entitled “Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Autonomous Positioning System Using Digital Audio Broadcasting Signals of Opportunity” was selected from among 275 project applications submitted to the program, admitted to the development process, and awarded second place following the final evaluations. 

Within the scope of the HAVELSAN SUIT Program, which continued throughout the academic year, 275 project applications submitted by university students were evaluated. Eighty projects selected from among the applications were developed and completed with the support of HAVELSAN’s technical ecosystem and mentoring program. Throughout the process, 60 volunteer mentors within HAVELSAN contributed to the students’ work by sharing their technical expertise and industry experience. 

Following the completion of the program, the award-winning projects were announced at a ceremony held at the HTK Conference Hall with the participation of approximately 200 people. At the ceremony, which brought together representatives from the defense industry, technology, entrepreneurship, and academic ecosystems, the project developed by Medipol graduates Mustafa Furkan Beker and Abdullah Tan received the second-place award.

DIGITAL AUDIO BROADCASTING SIGNALS WERE USED FOR AUTONOMOUS POSITIONING
The project developed by Mustafa Furkan Beker and Abdullah Tan presents an innovative approach to artificial intelligence-assisted autonomous positioning through the use of Digital Audio Broadcasting signals. The study aims in particular to utilize alternative signal sources under conditions in which the reliability of satellite-based positioning systems decreases or access to such systems is restricted.

At the core of the project is the use of Digital Audio Broadcasting signals, originally intended for broadcasting purposes but already present in the surrounding environment, as “signals of opportunity.” In this way, signals originating from the existing broadcasting infrastructure are used as an alternative source to assist in obtaining positioning information.
 

AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-ASSISTED ALTERNATIVE APPROACH WAS DEVELOPED
Within the scope of the project, research was conducted on processing data obtained from Digital Audio Broadcasting signals of opportunity through artificial intelligence methods and using these data for the positioning of autonomous systems. This approach offers an alternative method for studies aimed at obtaining positioning information without relying solely on satellite-based systems.

Particularly under conditions in which signal access becomes difficult or the performance of satellite-based positioning systems declines, making use of different signal sources is important for improving the positioning capabilities of autonomous systems. The project developed by the Medipol graduates similarly aims to establish an artificial intelligence-assisted positioning system by evaluating Digital Audio Broadcasting transmissions within this framework.

THEY REACHED THE FINALS FROM AMONG 275 APPLICATIONS 
The HAVELSAN SUIT Program is implemented as a university-industry collaboration model that enables university students to develop their ideas in engineering and technology with the support of industry professionals. Throughout the academic year, students participating in the program had the opportunity to develop their projects within HAVELSAN’s technical ecosystem and receive feedback from experienced professionals in their respective fields.

While 80 projects from among the 275 applications submitted to the program were admitted to the development process, the project developed by Mustafa Furkan Beker and Abdullah Tan was also among those selected. In the final evaluations of the program, which was conducted with the support of volunteer mentors at HAVELSAN, the project developed by the Medipol graduates achieved second place in Türkiye.