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Year: 2021

Berkeley partnership provides Chula students opportunity to innovate with Silicon Valley giants

Posted on by bajinderscii

A newly signed partnership between the Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (ScII) and the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (SCET) of the University of California Berkeley will furnish opportunities for Asian students to initiate start-up projects to innovate alongside Silicon Valley giants.

This partnership brings ScII students and faculty face-to-face with the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem. In addition, they will participate in the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, Silicon Valley Innovation Leadership Program, and Engineering Leadership Global Hybrid Program.

Furthermore, the partnership facilitates the transfer of knowledge related to SCET teaching methodologies, such as Innovation Engineering and the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMoE).

Signing the agreement on September 2, 2021, ScII Executive Director Professor Worsak Kanok Nukulchai invited SCET faculty members to offer online courses for ScII students as a customized course or to allow our students to take their courses online with credits transfer, which could lead to the development of an international online platform for all SCET’s international partners.

We are pursuing a long-term partnership because ScII and Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology share the same vision, Prof. Worsak noted.

“We have the same passion and are two vital forces contributing to the sustainable future of humanity.”

Worsak also noted that both SCET and ScII are founding members of the League of Global Entrepreneurship Programs alongside MIT Legatum, Stanford University, Harvard University, Cambridge University, Mexico’s Tecnológico de Monterrey, and several other higher education institutions.

“It is my pleasure to be part of this project, and I look forward to many new things we will develop together in addition to benefiting from this experience,” said Dr. Ilkhlaq Sidhu, Director of SCET at UC Berkeley.

Since its inception, SCET has sought to broaden engineering by encouraging a greater understanding of whether a problem is worth solving, what to do after solving the problem, and how to elevate, lead, and connect engineering with other disciplines.

“At SCET, students participate in a topic while it is still new and growing,” Dr. Sidhu noted as he welcomed the partnership with ScII.

Chulalongkorn University Vice President for Strategic Planning, Innovation and Global Engagement Associate Professor Natcha Thawesaengskulthai noted that SCET’s approach to education and building global innovation and entrepreneurship aligns with SCI’s core disciplines and specializations.

“This integrated critical approach to technology and entrepreneurial innovation jointly pursued by SCET and ScII should serve as a polestar for future endeavours,” she added.

Susan L. Giesecke, Director of Global Engagement at SCET, welcomed the SCET-SCII partnership, stating that Chulalongkorn University is a highly regarded institution and that SCET’s agreement with ScII portends to an excellent partnership.

She added that students at ScII will have an opportunity to interact and engage with Silicon Valley innovators and UC Berkeley alumni.

The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology is the premier institution on the UC Berkeley campus for studying and practising “technology-centric” entrepreneurship and innovation.

Since 2005, SCET has created the foundation of Berkeley’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including SkyDeck, the Fung Institute, the Engineering Leadership Professional Program, Global Venture Lab, and an extensive ecosystem of Silicon Valley and Global partners.

SCET’s mission has been to equip engineers and scientists with the skills to innovate, productize, and commercialize the technology in the global economy. Initially established as CET, it acquired a new name after receiving support from the Sutardja family, the force behind the Marvell Technology Group.

ScII is the newest school at Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious university, Chulalongkorn University. The university currently offers a bachelor’s degree program called the Bachelor of Arts in Science in Integrated Innovation (BASCii).

Self-powered diaper sensors that monitor urine sugar levels

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Monitoring urine sugar levels is important during the early stages of diabetes, and diaper sensors represent an attractive solution. In a recent study published in ACS Sensors, Associate Professor Isao Shitanda, Professor Masayuku Itagaki, and Mr Yuki Fujimura from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, present a promising approach to realizing self-powered diaper sensors that can generate energy directly from urine.

This work was done in collaboration with Associate Professor Seiya Tsujimura from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Worth noting, this work is in line with other research efforts of Dr. Shitanda and his colleagues to develop self-powered biosensors like a lactate sensor energized entirely by sweat.

The scientists developed a paper-based biofuel cell that, through a pair of reduction-oxidation reactions, outputs electrical power proportional to the amount of glucose in the urine. Important considerations in the design of such biofuel cells are the amount of urine needed to generate enough power and the overall stability and durability of the device.

With this in mind, the scientists developed a special anode, the negative terminal of an electrochemical cell, using a process known as “graft polymerization” that allowed them to firmly anchor glucose-reactive enzymes and mediator molecules to a porous carbon layer, which served as the base conductive material.

The scientists tested their self-powered biosensor in diapers using artificial urine at various glucose concentrations. They used the generated energy to power up a Bluetooth Low Energy transmitter, and remotely monitored the measured concentration using a smartphone. They found that the biofuel cell could detect urine sugar in a very short time (within 1 second).

“Besides monitoring glucose in the context of diabetes, diaper sensors can be used to remotely check for the presence of urine if you stock up on sugar as fuel in advance. In hospitals or nursing care sites, where potentially hundreds of diapers have to be checked periodically, the proposed device could take a great weight off the shoulders of caregivers,” comments Dr Shitanda.

In short, the sensor that Dr Shitanda’s team has engineered can not only prevent diabetes but also make diaper management more efficient and responsive without compromising the environment. “We believe the concept developed in this study could become a very promising tool towards the general development of self-powered wearable biosensors,” says Dr Shitanda.

HKBU study finds strong association between PM2.5 and neurological disorders

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A comprehensive, systematic meta-analysis conducted by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) scientists found a significant association between exposure to PM2.5, i.e., fine particulates with equivalent diameters of less than 2.5 microns suspended in the air, and neurological disorders.

These include stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, posing serious challenges to global health.

The paper with the study’s finding was published in the academic journal Science of the Total Environment and has become the top 1% highly-cited paper worldwide by citation in the field of Environment and Ecology, according to Essential Science Indicators (ESI).

As systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association between PM2.5 exposure and neurological disorders have been limited so far, the HKBU research team, led by Professor Ken Yung Kin-lam, Professor of the Department of Biology of the University, analysed a total of 1,645 articles published by June 2018 and identified 80 eligible studies that covered a population of more than 6.33 million from 26 countries or regions in all continents except Antarctica.

Previous meta-analyses of a similar nature covered at most seven countries, and nearly all of them were lightly polluted. In contrast, HKBU’s study covered countries and regions known to have more serious air pollution problems, such as Chile, China and India.

After a series of statistical analyses of the data published in the selected studies, the research team used odds ratio (OR) to represent the association between PM2.5 exposure and the risk of different neurological disorders. Odds ratio, commonly used in public health analysis, is a measure of association between an exposure and an outcome. An odds ratio value of 1 indicates that exposure does not affect the odds of an outcome; a value of over 1 means exposure is associated with higher odds of an outcome.

The results revealed that exposure to PM2.5 in general increases the risks of stroke and stroke mortality, with the risk associated with long-term exposure more significant than with short-term exposure. It also showed that the risk of stroke in heavily polluted areas is higher than that in lightly polluted areas.

Analysis results of the association between PM2.5 exposure and the risks of developing other neurological disorders were studies. The results revealed that PM2.5 exposure is strongly associated with increased risks of Alzheimer’s disease, ASD, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

PM2.5 is typically made up of heavy metals, organic carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons suspended in the air. According to studies, some of the tiny particles and soluble components can enter the bloodstream by many pathways, such as crossing the blood-brain barrier and gaining access to the central nervous system. These particles can induce inflammation, death of cells and DNA damage.

“While various hypotheses were suggested on the underlying mechanisms of how PM2.5 causes different types of neurological disorders, it remains an area with many unknowns for biomedical scientists to explore. More vigorous research endeavours are required before we can fully understand the mechanisms, based on which we can formulate effective environmental and public health strategies in response,” said Professor Yung.

7 September is the 2nd International Day of Clean Air for blue skies designated by the United Nations General Assembly, with the theme “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet”, which emphasises the health effects of air pollution.

“The International Day of Clean Air for blue skies reminds us of the urgency for national governments and the international community to collaborate and take swift, effective actions to improve air quality, given its extensive health implications. Our study made it clear that PM2.5 exposure, a typical indicator of air pollution, is closely associated with many neurological disorders, and thus improving air quality will be a direct response to this public health challenge,” said Professor Yung.

TPU to become pilot participant in federal program for student tourism

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

Tomsk Polytechnic University is the only Tomsk university among 15 pilot participants of the federal program for student tourism development, which will start in Russia in July. This summer, students from other cities who want to visit Tomsk will be able to stay at TPU health and recreation center (13 Usova Str.).

In April 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin in his Address to the Federal Assembly emphasized the importance of developing student tourism in the country. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation supported this initiative and began to develop a special program.

The ministry has identified a list of pilot participants in the program for 2021. Now a digital platform is being created, where students will be able to choose a university, a place to stay and book it. Students with Russian citizenship only will participate in the pilot phase of the program.

“Being a part of student community is a wonderful time of discoveries. When else if not now to travel, meet new cities and get to know your country. Tomsk is definitely the city worth visiting. TPU will be ready to host students from other cities and accommodate them in our comfortable health and recreation center. It is located in the center of the city, surrounded by many affordable food courts. In summer, about 90 beds will be available.

The rooms are designed to accommodate two, three and four people. We will host student tourists from July 15 to August 25,” Andrey Yakovlev, TPU Acting Rector, says.

Under this program, students from other cities will be able to come to Tomsk both in organized groups and individually. The cost of accommodation will amount to 100 rubles per day. According to the terms of the program, it will be possible to stay at the TPU campus for 3 to 14 days.

In addition, TPU will develop proposals for a cultural program for incoming students. This information as well as other details, for instance, how to get to TPU campus, nearest food courts, all essential contacts – will be placed on the digital platform.

AUS receives STARS Silver rating for its sustainability achievements

Posted on by Amy Robinson

American University of Sharjah (AUS) has earned a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) Silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). This makes AUS the highest-rated university in the GCC region.

The move from a Bronze to a Silver rating demonstrates the university’s continuous commitment to promote sustainable practices throughout its academic and operational activities. AUS Sustainability, the campus department dedicated to realizing the university’s strategic sustainability goals, collaborates with all university stakeholders to implement solutions that promote sustainable living and working on campus and beyond.

Speaking about the importance of this achievement, Rose Armour, Head of AUS Sustainability, said: “Incorporating sustainability is vital to higher education for two reasons. First, sustainability will play a role in each of our students’ futures, in both their professional and personal life, so they need to understand the concepts and impacts of actions as they pertain to climate change and social justice.”

“This is part of our commitment to preparing our students to be engaged and become effective members of society.”

“Second, students are seeking out sustainability in the classroom and in campus activities. They want to see and be proud of what is happening at AUS,” Armour added.

The new AUS rating was achieved following a rigorous process to meet STARS’ points-based system of benchmarking efforts at sustainability in four comprehensive areas: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning and Administration.

The new rating is a testimony to the impact of the work of AUS Sustainability with the university community, particularly the student EcoReps.

“We could not have made all the progress we did, as we almost doubled our score, without the help and commitment of our EcoReps. The outreach work they do with students is so valuable, they are true role models in our community. We have been so impressed with the work and impact of the EcoReps that we will be expanding the program this year and hiring EcoReps that will focus specifically on the residential halls,” explained Armour.

Established in 2018, the AUS EcoRep program empowers enthusiastic students with a desire to promote sustainable change on campus to educate their student peers on issues related to waste reduction, energy conservation, diversity and other sustainability-related issues.

“AUS has earned a Silver rating as a result of the culmination of many small actions, whether professors incorporating sustainability into their classroom, students choosing to do research on sustainability and climate change, or AUS installing electric car recharging stations and offering free counselling services at the health clinic,” Armour said.

“Everything has an impact, and everything adds up. We should never forget that each action we take, even if small, becomes a part of our overall impact as a community.”

“This is not to say that larger, bolder actions such as our single-use plastic ban are not needed, but we are all a part of AUS’s journey towards sustainability. Every action counts,” added Armour.

The university is widely recognized for its many sustainability initiatives. In 2020, AUS became the Gulf region’s first university to begin to remove single-use plastics across its campus, with all campus vendors banned from providing petroleum-based single-use items such as takeaway containers, plastic bags and others.

Additionally, the AUS Engineering and Sciences Building has been awarded the highly sought-after 2 Pearl rating by Estidama, a sustainable development initiative of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. AUS also received the Green Audit Award as part of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency’s Sustainable Campus Initiative for university students.

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: 1) academics 2) engagement, 3) operations, 4) planning and administration, and 5) innovation and leadership.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser.

“AUS has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

The program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.

“We are very proud to have achieved a STARS Silver rating for our sustainability accomplishments. We look forward to watching our sustainability efforts grow and improve through the STARS program,” said Armour.

UiTM holds the Innovative Escape International Virtual Exhibition 2021

Posted on by NURUL SALIZAWATEE MAHPAR & NOOR RITA MOHAMAD KHAN

Faculty of Business and Management (FBM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) held the Innovative Escape International Virtual Exhibition 2021.

The exhibition was aimed at providing participating education institutions with an alternative to traditional learning models and promote international academic exchanges in higher education by allowing students to participate in a virtual exhibition.

The program was led by Dr Nor Lelawati Binti Jamaludin from the International Business and Management Studies Department, FBM and jointly organized by the Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Art and Design, UiTM under the supervisions of Puan Siti Salwa Isa and Encik Abu bin Ali. The program is under the patronage of Professor Dr Noryati Ahmad, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM.

Apart from the two faculties from UiTM, the exhibition also involved collaborators from the Student Development Center, UPM; Universitas Islam Riau, Indonesia; Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Hitra Leirskole, Norway; and Uzbekistan Youth Associations, Uzbekistan.

Students from the participating institutions were given a chance to showcase their project in the exhibition and this exchange is governed by the principle of collaboration and reciprocity that does not involve any cost to the participating students.

The current semester’s collaboration project seeks to further explore the concepts and factors towards improving accessibility, economic opportunities and viability of isolated places in rural Areas aligned with the relevant Global Goals for Sustainable Development; “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” agenda.

The project compels students to explore current issues on how to improve accessibility, economic opportunities and viability of isolated places in rural areas in their respective countries. They are required to study significant problems arising in the related areas by exploring key features of sustainable development that successively follows through the selected process model to improve efficiency and solutions delivery.

For this project, students are expected to consider how their creative and innovative ideas integrate the fundamental principles of sustainable design goals and anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s society by involving existing/related international organizations. The students will need to develop innovative designs and ideas with the organization and bring fresh imaginative solutions for society.

To broaden access and visibility, the project utilises social media platforms to engage with the society and target audiences. An Instagram page known as @innovativeescape was used as the main platform for the virtual exhibition. Students work and solutions are posted and all collaborators and the public can view the innovative solutions provided by the students.

This virtual exhibition is aligned with UiTM’s aim, which is to achieve globally renowned university status. The exhibition contributes to the current need for creating an academic ecosystem that responds to the changing higher education scenario.

This collaboration model nurtures closer ties between participating faculties and universities and deepens the understanding and collaboration of parties involved towards achieving the same goals. Under this strategic partnership and the advent of this program, the exchange of ideas and the development of quality and practical solutions applicable to societies are made possible.

It contributes to the creation of a truly effective and quality partnership that will thrive within an ecosystem of mutual understanding and respect. Thus, the spotlighted program is a good measure to move the FBM and Faculty of Art and Design, as well as UiTM forward and make it more visible.

CICM partners with Central Lab to boost agricultural research and development

Posted on by Thammasat University

The Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University (CICM) led by Professor Dr Adis Tasanarong, Dean of the Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, signed a memorandum of cooperation with Central Lab (Thailand) Co Ltd. and was honoured by Mr Chakrit Tiebtienrat, Managing Director, Central Lab (Thailand) Co Ltd on 11 June 2021 at Rangsit Center, Thammasat University.

This cooperation is aimed at improving the capacity of laboratory research analysis and testing and evaluations to improve agricultural product standards along with developing joint publishing and patents in the area of agricultural analysis research and development including training of personnel and students for research and development in the area of education.

Prof. Dr Adis Tasanarong, Dean of the Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, stated this cooperation will promote activities in missions related to the process of improving analysis and testing of both parties for consistency with the country’s needs and preparations to expand overseas markets in the future, particularly in the area of new value-generating economic crops such as hemp and marijuana, which must be cultivated and harvested to meet criteria and standards of good agricultural practices (GAP: Propagation and Cultivation) and acquire good raw materials without contaminants at sufficient amounts.

Mr Chakrit Tiebtienrat, Managing Director, Central Lab (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated that Central Lab Thai is a laboratory with capacity for analysis and testing and the global. He believes cooperation between Central Lab Thai and the Chulabhorn International College of Medicine and the joining of forces will improve Thailand’s capacity for broader development in the area of analysis and testing to support research, analysis, testing and services to meet international standards in compliance with government policies.

Furthermore, integration of analysis and testing cooperation will increase confidence in the analysis and test results along with making analysis and test methods consistent with laboratory principles and standards, which can help in building analysis and testing networks for coverage until the country’s economy and knowledge base can be driven and built in the future.

Scientists find simple method to enhance responsivity of terahertz radiation detectors by 3.5 folds

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

Scientists of Tomsk Polytechnic University jointly with colleagues from Spanish universities have offered a simple method how to enhance the responsivity of terahertz radiation detectors by 3.5 folds using a small Teflon cube.  The 1 mm cube must be put on the surface of the detector without changing the inner design of the detector.

Such detectors are applied, for instance, in a full-body scanner, spectrometer, in medical devices for diagnosing skin cancer, burn injuries, pathological changes in the blood.  The research findings are published in the Optics Letter academic journal (IF: 3,714; Q1).

Terahertz range lies between microwave and infrared ranges in the electromagnetic spectrum. Waves shorter than 1 mm refer to the terahertz range. Their feature lies in that they are capable to percolate various materials and at the same time, they do not lead to atomic ionization of matter alternatively to X-rays.

“Terahertz radiation detectors are, as a rule, rather compact devices.  Nowadays, researchers from different countries are interested in the enhancement of their responsivity and other parameters.  The higher responsivity, the weaker signals can be received and more precise measurements can be carried out,” Oleg Minin, Professor of the Division for Electronic Engineering of the TPU School of Non-Destructive Testing, one of the authors of the article, says.

“Most researchers are trying to solve this problem by changing the design of the detector and the materials it is made from. It is complicated and often very expensive. Meanwhile, our solution is plain to see.”

In their experiments, the scientists used a microparticle in the form of the Teflon cube, an available dielectric material through which electromagnetic waves of the terahertz range are capable to percolate.  The cube was put on the surface of the detector.

“There is a responsive site inside of the detector.  The site can be made from various materials but its typical scale is always less than the wavelength.  It is the area responsible for trapping electromagnetic waves and transferring them. Due to the form and material, our cube possesses a capability to focalize radiation well, falling on the responsive site of the detector, in the scale limited to or smaller than a diffraction-limited system. The experiments conducted jointly with the Spanish colleagues proved it: the particle focalized the radiation and the emitted radiation fell into the responsive area,” Oleg Minin explains.

According to the scientists, the developed method of detector responsivity enhancement without changing its design is applied to almost any detectors of various ranges.

During the experiments, the scientists fixed responsivity enhancement by 11 decibels, which is 3.5 folds higher than the standard parameters of the detector.

The researchers from the University of Salamanca (Spain), Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), Institute of High-Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland) and Imperial College London (England) took part in the research. The research was conducted with the support of the TPU Competitiveness Enhancement Program.

Urban Partnership Melting Pot: UPJ and Humboldt Kolleg partner to solve urban problems

Posted on by Universitas Pembangunan Jaya

Universitas Pembangunan Jaya (UPJ) wants to continue the tradition of excellence in the field of Urban Studies through an activity entitled Urban Partnership Melting Pot. This activity will take place virtually from January 17-22, 2022.

The Urban Partnership Melting Pot is part of UPJ’s collaboration with Humboldt Kolleg, which aims to strengthen regional professional cooperation networks among alumni (Humboldtians). This melting pot will also introduce and increase the interest and enthusiasm of young researchers towards the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) program. This foundation puts forward the vision of collaboration between countries with Germany as a research location.

Humboldt Kolleg activities are initiated by alumni (Humboldtians) or their associations. AvH supported the Humboldtians financially. Humboldt Kolleg has been held in various countries outside of Germany (United States, France, Italy, Poland, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, China, India, and others).

The participants are alumni of the AvH program and young researchers who have made fundamental contributions to the development of science. Thus, Humboldt Kolleg has become an essential instrument in gathering the best young researchers, a generation of potential leaders in science and technology, and other fields in Germany and even around the world.

It is appropriate that UPJ’s activities in collaboration with Humboldtians are called “melting pots,” not only from researchers, speakers, and participants from various countries; the theme of Urban Studies is also a broad theme that spreads from different fields of science. This is in line with UPJ’s efforts to mainstream Urban Studies.

UPJ has a Center for Urban Studies (CUS), which seeks to answer the challenges of urban planning needs and the comprehensive problems of urban residents. The five main fields that become the derivative clusters of Urban Studies at CUS UPJ are Urban Growth, Urban Culture, Urban Development, Urban and the Future, and Urban Society.

In 2017, Humboldt Kolleg at UPJ took the theme “The Rise of ASEAN and Strategic Partnership in Understanding the Complexity and Collective Phenomena in Emergent Societies.” The activity in 2017 was also a collaboration between UPJ and the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education.

City planning, Architecture and infrastructure, Urban Health and Society, Environmental risks in Urban and Regional Development, and Strategic partnership in Urban Research were the five main topics at the meeting.

With this track record of activities, UPJ has again become the facilitator of this meeting related to Urban Studies and has shown its total commitment to developing urban studies in Indonesia.

Through the Urban Partnership Melting Pot, the university invites researchers, writers, and the media to be able to join in contributing thoughts and creative ideas through the focus of the theme: Urban Growth Pattern, transformation, and resilience; Urban Mobility and Internet of Things; and Social, health, education, environment, and economic development.

KNU professor develops a method for distinguishing soil cultivating ginseng consistently

Posted on by Kyungpook National University ‏‏‎ ‎

A research team at Kyungpook National University (KNU) has developed a method to determine the soil which can cultivate ginseng consistently in advance by using machine learning.

Professor Jae Ho Shin’s team at Kyungpook National University’s School of Biosciences has developed “a method of determining ginseng crops using soil microbiome and machine learning.”

Even if the same ginseng seeds are planted, ginseng grown in Korea’s soil has superior main ingredients and efficacy than ginseng from overseas countries such as China, so the cultivation soil plays a big role in ginseng quality. Ginseng is a crop that is severely damaged by a series of crops that cannot be used again for more than 10 years once it is grown. However, despite various soil analysis methods, it is considered very difficult to determine in advance whether there will be a series of damage to a particular soil.

Professor Jae Ho Shin’s team obtained more than 100,000 microbial information per sample using next-generation sequencing technology (high-speed sequencing of dielectric material as one of the methods of genetic analysis). It produced a model that identifies 13 million big data as support vector machines (SVM) based on machine learning. In other words, it has developed a machine learning model that can predict the occurrence of ginseng rusty root (GRR) disease before planting ginseng. With this technology, a 90.99% chance of damage can be predicted by microbiological analysis without analyzing past cultivation records of land or soil components.

Professor Jae Ho Shin said, “For ginseng farmers, finding land that has never been planted and renting ginseng is a big problem that influences years of farming. However, it has been almost impossible to prove that ginseng has never been planted scientifically so far, and the conflict is frequent because we can only trust the landowner’s word. “As we observe a person’s microbiome, we can predict the future of the soil with soil microbiome. The technology developed by the research team creates an artificial intelligence algorithm that analyzes soil microorganisms, which can determine whether ginseng has ever been planted with an accuracy of about 91%. The accuracy of the model has room for improvement if it costs more to get more samples.”

The findings, which showed the possibility of artificial intelligence being used in the agricultural sector were published in a cover paper on July 28 of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, an international academic journal.