The Detector of Interconnected Position Points or DEOTERIONS is expected to ease the SAR team. (Image via Edukasi Kompas)

DEOTERIONS, by Indonesian for Indonesia

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Sci-Tech
Sep 10, 2019
11900
Three students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Muhammad Rikza Maulana, Satrio Wiradinata Riady Boer, dan Adin Okta Triqadafi, created a device to assist search-and-rescue (SAR) team. The device is called "Detector of Interconnected Position Points" (DEOTERIONS).

The idea of making this device came from the geological situation of Indonesia. As the world’s biggest archipelago nation, Indonesia is located within the Ring of Fire, a condition that makes Indonesia often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

DEOTERIONS emits radio wave which can be received by the receiver team to evacuate victims from debris or wreckage, even if the victims are beneath the debris.

“Having been tested, DEOTERIONS can be accurately detected within 0-10 meters from the victim underneath the debris,” explained Rikza Maulana.

For the sake of access and portability, DEOTERIONS has the size of an ATM card. Satrio, one of the students who co-created DEOTERIONS, told the story of the earthquake that shook his hometown in Padang, West Sumatera, in 2009. He told that due to the difficulty to locate the victims for the SAR team, the casualty’s rate was high.

“When they were found (by the SAR team), it was too late. Some died, and some had to have their limbs amputated. By this device, we can minimize the casualty and accelerate the evacuation process,” said Satrio concluding his story.

Not only one victim, but DEOTERIONS is also connected to its kind. Therefore, once one victim has been rescued, it will be easier for the SAR team to locate other victims carrying DEOTERIONS. Overall information about the victim’s whereabouts is displayed on your DEOTERIONS’ smartphone app.

FURTHER HOPE FOR DEOTERIONS

While it makes the evacuation process easier, Rikza and co are not satisfied with it yet. Until now, they are still trying to make DEOTERIONS waterproof and fireproof. For water resistance, DEOTERIONS has already been tested under 50 cm depth.

“We see this as necessary so that DEOTERIONS can also be used to evacuate victims in fires, flood, and other disaster scenarios,” said Rikza.

Dreaming higher, Rikza and co stated their objective that DEOTERIONS can be placed as a basic mitigation device in every building in Indonesia. But, not limited by land, DEOTERIONS also aims for the sky and the sea.

To produce DEOTERIONS, Rikza and co had already submitted their proposal to the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti) through Student Creativity Program (PKM). In terms of production cost, DEOTERIONS does not eat much. For its prototype, DEOTERIONS only cost about Rp 100,000. If massively produced, DEOTERIONS’ production cost could be cut to as much as Rp 60,000.

The three said that they would like to cooperate with The National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) and Malang Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD Malang) to put DEOTERIONS as the basic mitigation device in every building. However, both agencies are yet to give any comment.

Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/teknologi/20190909170837-199-428848/deoterions-alat-pendeteksi-korban-gempa-buatan-anak-bangsa

Mitigation , Technology , ASEAN , Indonesia , Innovation , SAR , DEOTERIONS