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# NTNU’s BRU21 Research Center uses OpenLab as a cornerstone for DrillFeel and advanced drilling research
- URL: https://openlab.app/ntnus-bru21-research-center-uses-openlab-as-a-cornerstone-for-drillfeel-and-advanced-drilling-research/
- Published: 2025-10-01T13:04:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-09T10:31:07.000Z
- Author: Jan Einar Gravdal
- Tags: Blog, #Import 2026-11-03 15:50

The prestigious **BRU21 – NTNU Research and Innovation Program in Digital and Automation Solutions for the Offshore Energy Industry** – has become one of the most active academic hubs for OpenLab Drilling in recent years. Their work demonstrates how cloud-based simulation technology can accelerate research and innovation.

One of the flagship projects at BRU21 is the development of **DrillFeel**, an innovative drilling simulator designed to increase a driller’s situational awareness in real time. The project aims to integrate physics-based modeling, real-time data, and intuitive visualizations to improve key decisions during drilling operations. It uses haptic feedback to increase driller’s awareness of the downhole and top-side drilling process. It allows the driller to feel the drilling process through actuated joysticks, in an intuitive and user-friendly way.

![](https://openlab.app/content/images/2026/01/cover-2344--1--2.jpg)

Courtecy: NTNU BRU21

**OpenLab as a Core Enabler for DrillFeel**

The **DrillFeel** team has relied extensively on OpenLab throughout its development cycle and it has served as a **cornerstone platform** for the project.

OpenLab’s cloud-based architecture has allowed the researchers to run computationally heavy drilling simulations without local hardware limitations and integrate real-time data streams for testing situational awareness features. This workflow has significantly accelerated the development of DrillFeel, enabling students and researchers to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure.

### **Wider OpenLab Adoption Across BRU21**

**Several PhD candidates across BRU21** have been using OpenLab in their daily research. This includes work in drilling automation and advanced control methodologies—areas where high-performance simulation tools are essential.

This broad adoption underscores OpenLab’s role as a platform that supports both specialized simulation tasks and interdisciplinary research workflows.