The 2026 edition of the INNOVA Innovation for Society Competition brought together 11 projects from Cuban companies, institutions, and MSMEs this Tuesday, presented in a hybrid format before a experts panel. The event showcased applications of science, technology, and innovation across sectors such as energy, health, business management, tourism, and cybersecurity.

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The Informatics and Communications Business Group (GEIC) organized the event, combining in-person participation in Havana with virtual presentations from various provinces. According to organizers, this format allowed participants to showcase homegrown solutions to real-world problems and highlighted the talent of young people driven to innovate and develop.

A key project was TECXOL—the “National Ecosystem for the Intelligent Management of Photovoltaic Parks”—presented by Darien Armenteros Fernández of XETID. The platform is already implemented at the Mariel site and enables data capture and processing for autonomous decision-making.

Designed as an open, scalable system, TECXOL can be extended to microsystems and other forms of energy storage. It features constant monitoring and early warning systems, aligning with the goal of energy sovereignty.

Similarly, the MSME TECNOPRO SRL, based in Santiago de Cuba, presented LOCALLIGHT PLUS, a backup power monitoring system that integrates temperature, voltage, and efficiency controls. The project envisions future integration with solar panels under a circular innovation model.

The University of Camagüey contributed two research projects focused on applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to specific social issues.

The text reads, “The Informatics and Communications Business Group held the 2026 edition of the INNOVA Innovation for Society Competition. The event established itself not merely as a showcase for awards, but as a space for convergence.”

Additionally, Brian Jesús Ávila Sánchez presented the intelligent digitization of historical records regarding monoclonal antibody production at the Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM). The project employs open-source tools and predictive modeling to recover handwritten documents and create a digital twin capable of classifying and optimizing production batches. Its goal is to boost efficiency in a strategic area of ​​Cuban public health.

José Enrique Domínguez presented a web-based system for predicting water potability, developed in collaboration with the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology. The tool digitizes and automates sample analysis, classifies potability using AI, generates statistics, and issues critical alerts to support health-related decision-making.

ETECSA showcased a dashboard for effective cost management, leveraging the smart use of office software like Excel. The proposed solution is designed to be applicable to any organization in the country.

In the tourism sector, the Specialized Services Company GET presented the Tourism Intelligence Platform, which centralizes data on reservations, occupancy rates, and market trends. Already in use at two tourist hubs, the tool is set to expand into nautical and transport sectors, incorporating behavioral prediction and historical analysis capabilities.

DAPISOFT RG S.L.R., based in Granma, presented three solutions: SISMOS, a real-time seismic monitoring platform using low-cost sensors that can integrate with official infrastructure; CxCobrar, a tool for managing accounts receivable that utilizes predictive algorithms and requires minimal resources; and ISISCAI, an IT asset control and security system featuring automated audits.

Ukraine’s amphibious ground robot UNEX UGV can tow artillery guns, its project lead said in a video interview, Militarnyi reported on 13 October. The electric platform from ABRIS Design Group (ABRIS DG) also swims, climbs, and hauls cargo on its own deck.

The Defense Ministry’s robot tally, kept in its DELTA system, counts supply and evacuation runs. It logged 25,143 of them in August, a monthly figure that has climbed all year. In April, then-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the goal was for robots to handle all frontline logistics. A robot that brings a gun and its shells to a position adds artillery moves to that workload.

A gun behind, shells aboard

The robot can pull a gun or another wheeled vehicle of up to 10 metric tons (about 22,000 lb), the project lead said. Ammunition can ride aboard, so the gun and its rounds reach the position together. No crew has to go with them, he said, and the team has already demonstrated the setup. On its own deck, ABRIS DG says, the robot carries up to 1.7 tons (3,750 lb) on land and 1.25 tons (2,760 lb) on water.

ABRIS DG said US Army testers ran UNEX through scenarios that included towing Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), which are armored US military trucks. The trials took place at the Army’s XTech competition in Vilseck, Germany, in March 2026. UNEX was picked as one of five winners, the company said.

Swims, climbs, backtracks

The robot can float for more than an hour. The team has already crossed the Desna River and narrow stretches of the Dnipro with it, the project lead said. Ultra-low-pressure tires spread its weight over soft ground and swamps. ABRIS DG says it climbs obstacles up to one meter (3.3 ft) high and drives out of water onto ice.

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Operators steer it via Starlink or radio. An escort drone can add an overhead view to the robot’s own cameras. If the link drops, the robot retraces its route to where the signal last held.

It runs on a Ukrainian-made 78 kWh battery. The project lead puts its work time at up to six hours and its range at up to 120 km (75 miles), with a top speed of 20 km/h (12 mph). Load and terrain cut into those figures, he added. With a generator now in development, a mission should stretch to about 12–14 hours, he said.

The robot is not built for the zero line, the project lead said. It works 20–30 km behind the front, at night, where armor would add little. Developers also plan demining and air defense versions. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry codified the robot and cleared it for use in its forces in April 2025.