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Farming Smarter, Not Harder: USU Alumni’s Start-Up Project for Smart Farming Equipment

Posted on March 20, 2024June 18, 2024 by Editorial Team

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 engendered major technological changes in Indonesia’s agriculture to boost production yields by prioritizing effectiveness and efficiency in various fields that support the sector. This incentivizes various innovations for agricultural products: new tools, new processing techniques, and new management procedures.

Some fresh graduates of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), Dwi Budi Prasetyo, Rizki Ari Mihalza, Intan Dewani, and Rico Wardana, teamed up to brainstorm a contribution to this developing urgency. All three are members of a start-up called Mandike Instruments, which specializes in technology and education.

The team came up with a piece of innovative equipment that is projected to increase work efficiency for farmers called Smart Farming. The equipment is designed to be portable and easily assembled, with sensor nodes and gateways as well as unique applications that are continuously refined and updated.

According to Dwi Budi Prasetyo, CEO of Mandike Instruments, Smart Farming monitors and determines the degree of acidity, temperature, rainfall, humidity, and weather conditions in an area that will be used for agriculture.
“Knowing these can aid farmers in measuring the most efficient amount of fertilizers for agricultural activities, as excessive fertilizers can damage the nutrients in the agricultural land. In addition, knowing the soil fertility level and determining the types of plants suitable for development will also increase the efficiency of farmers’ expenditures,” Dwi said.

Dwi stated that the accompanying application for Smart Farming is currently at the testing and refinement stage.

“We want this tool to be really effective in helping farmers. Thus, the trials cannot be done in one or two times. We must conduct it many times to obtain the right result,” he added.

Regarding whether Smart Farming will be sold in limited quantities or mass-produced, Dwi admits that he has yet to decide because it will be discussed with the commissioners of CV Mandike. In addition to assessing prices, consumer capabilities and market acceptance, which farmers dominate, will influence their start-up’s capability.

Dwi emphasized that they are considering developing and manufacturing delicately, as the equipment was intended to help farmers without burdening them with additional costs. Increasing the amount of capital farmers need will affect the selling price of their agricultural products. They are currently planning a collaborative trial run for the equipment with government and private stakeholders.

The team hopes to strengthen the collaboration between CV Mandike and USU agricultural alumni to engineer and innovate other tools for use in the farming sector. Being holders of degrees in Electrical Engineering from USU, the team is optimistic that their collaboration can benefit each other to increase the research and development output, manufacture, and market and publicity outreach with the academic institution.

The evidence: it’s complicated

Posted on March 18, 2024April 16, 2024 by Claudia Civinini

The issue of research evidence in Edtech can be thorny.

It doesn’t help that the market is crowded with tools and products, some of which don’t follow the best pedagogical practices.

WGU Labs Research Director, Dr Betheny Gross, says: “There are gazillions of apps – that’s one of the problems. Some of them are fabulous. Some of them are horrible. […] There is a lot of incentive to produce technologies…

“What we can guarantee is that there will be crummy tools coming into the marketplace in the future – the thing that we’d like to also guarantee is that educators will have a way to sort through it all. But that’s not the reality right now.”

A UNESCO report published in 2023 warns that impartial evidence on the impact of educational technology is “in short supply”: “there is little robust evidence on digital technology’s added value in education: technology evolves faster than it is possible to evaluate it.”

In the United Kingdom, 7 percent of education technology companies conducted randomised controlled trials, and 12 percent used third-party certification. A survey of teachers and administrators in 17 US states showed that only 11 percent requested peer-reviewed evidence prior to adoption.

The report also adds that while technology is a “lifeline for many”, highlighting the opportunities it has opened up for learners with disabilities and its fundamental role during the COVID pandemic, it also still “excludes many more”.

For AR and VR, it says it can facilitate practical learning in fields such as medicine, engineering, science and vocational lessons and mentions studies which found that it can improve students’ attitudes towards certain subjects, foster motivation and allow students to improve communication and interpersonal skills.

More from the report: Most evidence comes from the richest countries. In the United Kingdom, 7 percent of education technology companies had conducted randomized controlled trials, and 12 percent had used third-party certification. A survey of teachers and administrators in 17 US states showed that only 11 percent requested peer-reviewed evidence prior to adoption.

In a 2021 report detailing the impact of educational technology with data from Visible Learning, Professor John Hattie’s synthesis on meta-analyses on which interventions have the largest effect on student learning, Dr Hattie and Dr Arran Hamilton explain that there had been, by that time, more than 15,000 individual quantitative studies about the impact of technology on learning outcomes. These are studies that seek to understand whether students’ achievement, for example on standardised tests, improved as a result of an intervention.

The good news, according to Dr Hattie and Dr Hamilton, is that only two technologies seem to have a detrimental impact: social media as a learning tool due to distraction and the potential of cyberbullying, and phones in the classroom again due to distraction). Overconsumption of TV outside of school hours was also found detrimental.

Of the other 26 types of tech interventions analysed, none reverses learning and 11 of them fall within those able to accelerate student learning. None, however, are within those interventions that can yield a “disproportionate potential for high return on investment in terms of improving learning outcomes”. The authors comment that this is “unfortunate”, because the Visible Learning research points to many interventions that can achieve that high potential to positively impact learning outcomes.

However, the authors say, the available data suggests the following: the use of technology is likely more beneficial for elementary and college students, although the reason is not fully understood; tech has an above-average impact for students with special learning needs, especially intelligent tutoring systems in maths and online guided reading programmes; and that there are benefits in using tech for feedback.

Dr Gross explains that not all technology tools are necessarily aiming at raising outcomes. “Some are about increasing access, others about managing costs. There is a range of outcomes that technology seeks to resolve.”

One important gatekeeper for whether tools are effective is how they are adopted and used and the capabilities of the users in the learning environment. “A lot of technology can be effective, but not a lot of technology can be implemented effectively,” Dr Gross says. “That’s the part of the puzzle that we spend the most of our time around.”

For example, Dr Gross recalls, WGU Labs did research on a tool supported by several evaluations, including randomised controlled trials, that showed its efficacy in helping students complete their coursework. “We tested it in a different environment and it just completely flamed,” she explains. That’s because, in that environment, students already had other similar tools and routines that helped them to focus on their assignments. “Lo and behold, this tool, as clean and cool as it was, just ended up confusing things. This is a clear case where a tool is effective in some scenarios but not in others.”

And that’s the crux of the evidence: it’s complicated.

“You may see bigger effects of the tools depending on where it’s implemented and who’s using it,” says Dr Stephanie Reeves, Senior Research Scientist at WGU Labs.

One of the findings of the WGU Labs in this regard is that faculty and students are experiencing high levels of technology fatigue. Dr Reeves explains that the implementation of new tech requires being mindful of whether a new tool is actually needed in order to avoid overwhelming students and faculty. “You could have a technology that’s really effective, but maybe it won’t benefit the students if they’re already experiencing that technology fatigue.”

The rise of interdisciplinary degrees

Posted on March 18, 2024March 18, 2024 by John O'Leary

Interdisciplinary collaboration has long been accepted as an indispensable element of modern university research. But only now are genuinely broad postgraduate – and even undergraduate – programmes taking off in many countries. The growing acceptance that employers will require graduates of all disciplines to be AI-literate is stimulating interest in breadth of study more generally. There is already evidence that graduates with interdisciplinary qualifications are commanding higher-than-average salaries.

Even bastions of single honours like Oxford University are beginning to move in this direction. Already offering a Physics and Philosophy degree, Oxford is introducing the Vice Chancellor’s Colloquium, an interdisciplinary programme of lectures, discussions and projects, initially focused on the climate crisis. Although a voluntary, extra-curricular programme, the Colloquium promises to develop students’ skills in data analysis, critical thinking and communication, culminating is summer internships for selected participants to continue working on their projects.

Oxford is by no means the first UK university to offer students a broader academic experience. University College London (UCL) has run its Arts and Sciences BASc for more than a decade and now has a dedicated department that enables students to shape their own degree programmes and incorporate internships, with the option of a year studying abroad. The University of Birmingham also has a sought-after Liberal Arts and Sciences degree, which has the option of a fourth year taken abroad or with a community organisation and/or a Year in Computer Science for students from non-computing disciplines to acquire in-depth knowledge.

The range of choices for applicants looking for a move away from the specialisation that has been the hallmark of UK higher education remains limited, however. While liberal arts degrees have boomed in recent years, few extend into science and technology. The exception is the London Interdisciplinary School (LIS), which will produce its first cohort of graduates this year. Based in two town houses in East London which once formed the headquarters of the Salvation Army, the LIS is tiny in comparison with its rivals in the university sector, with only 30 undergraduates in each cohort. But it is proving popular with students and continues to expand the scope of degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Professor Carl Gombrich, the Dean of the LIS, who also launched UCL’s BASc in 2012, would like more undergraduates, but has set his target at a modest 200. He is convinced that interdisciplinarity is an idea whose time has come, and expects a rapid expansion in the number of degrees. “To address the world’s challenges, we must nurture people able to confront and tackle complex problems and future leaders who understand the arts, humanities and sciences,” he says.

At LIS, there are no formal entry requirements, although offers are still made in A-level grades and applicants must demonstrate at interview that they have the potential to reach degree standard across the academic spectrum. The intake is surprisingly diverse, with some from deprived backgrounds admitted without A-levels, while the majority come with top grades. There are few lectures and no examinations, most of the learning taking place in small groups and continuously assessed.

The curriculum is arranged in terms of societal problems, such as inequality, climate change or the ethics of AI, and examined through the lens of different subjects, such as neuroscience, computing and political economy. The aim is to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods to address real-world challenges.

“I am proud of the curriculum,” says Professor Gombrich. “I think we’ve been brave and on the whole it has worked. It is coherent and we are producing interesting research.” New themes such as migration and education are being considered as possible additions at undergraduate level, and there is a thriving programme of professional development, which is used by the National Health Service among other organisations.

Most of the undergraduates are British, a significant proportion transferring from more specialised degrees at other universities, paying lower fees than the international students who are keeping many UK universities afloat. But the EM Lyon business school has taken a 30 per cent stake in the institution, relaxing any immediate financial pressures. The LIS is launching its own Challenger MBA next year, as well as more short courses.

With high levels of student satisfaction and growing demand for places, Professor Gombrich thinks LIS is well placed to lead a trend away from specialisation that starts at school. “I think tenfold growth is possible nationally without impacting on present disciplines,” he says. “Young people are questioning more and more why they should study the same things as their parents and grandparents. Our A-level system is a busted flush. In most countries, you can’t give up maths until you leave university.”

The Netherlands has been Europe’s leading exponent of interdisciplinarity, with 10 liberal arts colleges, modelled on the US institutions and attached to universities. Utrecht was the country’s first university college, established in 1998 to offer broad study combining the liberal arts and sciences at degree level. Teaching in English, it now has around 750 students from 70 different countries. Students can design their own three-year programme with courses in one of the three departments: Science, Social Sciences and Humanities.

The Dutch colleges tend to have their own campuses, away from their parent universities. Leiden’s, for example, is based in the Hague, making use of its ministries and international organisations for a curriculum focusing on the global challenges of peace and justice, sustainability, prosperity and diversity. The Liberal Arts pioneer Hans Adriaansens famously explained: “If you throw Messi, Cruyff and me in a swimming pool, you will see that they won’t be able to play better soccer than me. And this is because a swimming pool is not the right place where they can show their talent.”

In other countries, however, interdisciplinary programmes are gradually being integrated into the main university system. To add to its liberal arts colleges, the US has seen the introduction of “mission led” degrees in a number of universities, and breadth of study has become an important topic in Indian higher education, where a number of universities and Indian Institutes of Technology now offer popular interdisciplinary programmes.

Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) confirmed that students who had been exposed to more interdisciplinary learning were earning more than their peers a year after graduation. But the five-strong international team led by Siqi Han, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, found that many American universities and liberal arts colleges were claiming to be more interdisciplinary than they actually were. “That said, actual exposure to interdisciplinarity may provide college graduates with both superior cognitive and noncognitive capacities useful in making a living,” the researchers said in their article, ‘Interdisciplinary college curriculum and its labor market implications’. “This exposure matters more for science majors, where educational content indicates less interdisciplinarity overall.”

USU Advances Technology Adaptation in Rural Areas

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Fotarisman Zaluchu

The Public Administration Program (Prodi IAP) of the Faculty of Social Science and Political Sciences (FISIP) at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) is actively working to enhance technological adaptation in rural areas. Over the past three years, the Public Administration Program has collected various data, which has been organized into village profiles, village sketches, and village videos. The results of these efforts have been compiled into a village website. The creation on the village website is a progressive step to prepare villages for current technological advancements. In Indonesia, with over 80 thousand villages, only a few have their own websites. USU presence will accelerate rural development, especially in areas within USU reach, where the university has the capability to build websites.

The launch of the village website and training on its utilization took place in in Tanjung Putus Village, Langkat Regency, Indonesia.

Higher education, in this case, the Public Administration Program, plays a strategic role in advancing villages or village governments. Faculty members and students actively engage in solving issues within the village. The launch of this website is one concrete manifestation of the Universitas Sumatera Utara responsibility to the surrounding community, as said by Dra. Februati Trimurni, M.Si, Ph.D. Over three years, the IAP Program regularly dispatched students for field activities, supported by expert faculty members. These activities were conducted within the framework of research and community service, formally part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between USU and Langkat Regency.

Training for creating the village website involved instructing village officials to proficiently input data into the website. Additionally, village activities, documented through videos or photos, were trained to be uploaded to the website. Even village regulations were displayed on the website for easy dissemination to all villagers. Training participants were also equipped with skills for independently managing the website. The village website will facilitate access to important information and data, simultaneously promoting the village on a broader stage.

The Head of the IAP Program added that Indonesia is currently promoting rural development, with state funds allocated to empower villages, especially in infrastructure. However, USU provides soft skills intervention, aiming to incorporate information technology into villages for broader benefits to the community. She also emphasize that USU plays an important role so that national government policies can be implemented more quickly and effectively. USU plan to train other villages to have similar advantages, enabling them to introduce themselves globally because they have their own websites. This is how USU contributes to realizing a global village for the benefit of rural communities and the global progress of humanity.

SMU faculty member David Lo is the fourth academic in Singapore, first from the University to achieve prestigious ACM Fellow recognition in 2023

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Singapore Management University

At 40, Prof David Lo has been inducted into the 2023 class of ACM Fellows, along with the inventor of the World Wide Web

Singapore Management University (SMU) is proud to announce that one of its faculty members from the School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) has been honoured as a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). David Lo is OUB Chair Professor of Computer Science, and the Director of the Information Systems & Technology Cluster at SMU’s SCIS.

ACM, the largest professional organisation for computing, is also renowned for issuing the Turing Award, the ’Nobel Prize in Computing’. Founded in 1947 and boasting a global membership of nearly 110,000, ACM is recognised for advancing computing as a science and profession, and ACM Fellows represent the most prestigious member grade, with new Fellows inducted annually.

Professor Lo, 40, is among the 68 new Fellows worldwide recently named by ACM for their transformative contributions to computing science and technology, and is the fourth academic in Singapore to receive this recognition. The 2023 class of ACM Fellows includes four past winners of the Turing Award (also known as Turing laureates), namely Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web (who won the Turing Award in 2016); and Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Yann LeCun, pioneers of deep learning (who won the Turing Award in 2018).

Prof Lo said of this prestigious achievement, “I am deeply humbled by this recognition and sincerely grateful for the support of SMU SCIS, as well as my advisors, mentors, colleagues, students, trainees, and collaborators. I am excited to continue contributing to computing research, especially in the fields of software engineering, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, as a member of a vibrant group of researchers at SCIS and SMU.”

Dean of SCIS, Professor of Computer Science Pang Hwee Hwa, remarked, “The School is very proud of Prof Lo’s research leadership and his ground-breaking work in synergising artificial intelligence and software engineering. With his induction as an ACM Fellow, we look forward to him continuing to inspire his peers and his students towards more exciting innovations that put SMU on the world map.”

“The announcement each year that a new class of ACM Fellows has been selected is met with great excitement,” said ACM President Yannis Ioannidis in its press release. “ACM is proud to include nearly 110,000 computing professionals in our ranks and ACM Fellows represent just 1% of our entire global membership. This year’s inductees include the inventor of the World Wide Web, the ‘godfathers of AI’, and other colleagues whose contributions have all been important building blocks in forming the digital society that shapes our modern world.”

In the latest list of inductees for 2023, Prof Lo is one of four researchers from institutions and a tech giant in Asia to achieve this recognition – two of whom are from China while the third is from India.

The other 2023 ACM Fellows hail from global tech giants such as Meta, government agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States, and institutions including Harvard University, Columbia University and Princeton University. Their contributions span the computing field, including algorithm design, computer graphics, cybersecurity, energy-efficient computing, mobile computing, software analytics, and web search, to name a few.

Prof Lo is focused on designing and implementing effective human-centred solutions for the intelligent systems-enabled future of work. “My goal is to enable humans and intelligent agents to collaborate effectively, safely, inclusively, and responsibly,” he said, “thereby contributing to societal betterment. My research delves into specific areas related to this overarching theme.”

Smartphone for Safety: Improving Fishing Boat Stability with Kora-kora Apps

Posted on March 18, 2024 by ITS Global Engagement

Indonesia is one of the top three countries globally for fisher fatalities. With around 2.2 million fishers and over 600,000 fishing vessels in Indonesia, this is a huge problem to address. This is mainly due to fishing vessels that are unsuited to the prevailing sea conditions with poor stability, a lack of watertight integrity, and an inability to control flooding. Indonesian fishermen often lack the necessary equipment and knowledge to assess the stability of their fishing boats, leading them to frequently operate in unsafe conditions and experience preventable accidents.

The existence of this problem prompted collaboration among Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), University College London (UCL), Universitas Pattimura (UNPATTI), and Orela Shipyard to conduct research about the safety of ship stability located in Ambon. The research team includes Prof. I Ketut Aria Pria Utama and Mr. Dony Setiawan from ITS, Prof Giles Thomas and Dr Andrea Grech La Rosa from UCL, Dr. Wolter Roberth Hetharia from Unpatti, and Mr. Soegeng Riyadi from Orela Shipyard. The project also involved students from ITS and Unpatti.

The study spans from 2021 to 2023 and is supported by the Newton Fund. The project developed an application (Apps) called \”Kora-Kora\”, named after a local warship. Kora-Kora is designed to be used in a practical, easy, and accessible way. Using a cellphone’s accelerometer and gyroscope sensors, Kora-Kora can automatically read the ship’s movements and give signals about the ship’s condition using color. Fishermen only need to install the apps, ensure their battery is fully charged for use as a ship stability device, and can operate without an internet connection. The application will give a green signal if the ship is considered safe and if it is in danger, the signal will be changed into red. Notably, the research results will be shared freely to public (in this case, fishermen) and will not be patented.

The project has received “the 2023 RINA-LR Maritime Safety Award” a prestigious award or prize sponsored by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) and the Lloyd Register of Shipping (LR). The research team still work to improve the Apps to make it better and more attractive hence can be use more easily.

Art March: About 8,500 Visitors Enjoy Over a Hundred Free Performing Arts Activities at HKAPA Open Day

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Communications Office

At the beginning of Art March, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) pulled together the efforts of the six Schools and various units and held its annual Open Day today. Filled with over a hundred free performing arts activities, with highlights on artificial intelligence (AI) and art technology, the event drew about 8,500 visitors to the Main Campus in Wanchai and the Bėthanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam.

Professor Gillian Choa, Director of the Academy remarked, “This annual Open Day is one of the Academy’s most significant community events as it allows us to spread the fun as well as the latest developments of performing arts in the Academy to thousands of members of the public over the years. We are committed to continue to embrace educational innovation to nurture young talents and contribute to the art and cultural development in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the region.”

A wide array of performing arts activities included a performance by Junior Symphony Orchestra, concerts of Chinese and Western music, excerpt performances of musicals, drama, Cantonese opera, dance open classes, film and television screenings, and guided tours for immersive performing arts activities. Furthermore, visitors went backstage to discover the secrets behind the scenes, including stage design, props and costume making, as well as stage effects exhibitions, indulging themselves in the world of performing arts on the day. The “On Stage @ HKAPA Digital” of the Academy Library also allowed visitors to step onto different stages virtually and take digital photos of themselves as characters in Academy productions.

About The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (www.hkapa.edu)

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in the performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. Since 2008, the Academy has attained the Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status awarded by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to self-monitor and accredit its own undergraduate and post-secondary programmes in the five programme areas of Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Since 2016, the PAA status has been extended to cover Master’s Degree programmes and below; and since 2023, the programmes operated by the School of Chinese Opera accredited by HKCAAVQ has also received PAA status for its post-secondary and undergraduate programmes.

Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the site of the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, has housed training facilities for the School of Film and Television since 2006.

In the QS University Rankings announced in 2023, the Academy ranks 1st in Asia and 13th in the world in the Performing Arts category.

Universitas Airlangga signs MoU with Princess Naradhiwas University Thailand

Posted on March 18, 2024March 18, 2024 by Universitas Airlangga News

Universitas Airlangga has engaged in numerous collaborations to boost the internationalization of academic activities within the campus environment. In its latest endeavor, UNAIR signed an MoU to collaborate with Princess Naradhiwas University, Thailand on Tuesday, Feb 20, 2024, in the Plenary Meeting Room, Balairua Management Office, MERR C Campus, Universitas Airlangga.

The Rector of Universitas Airlangga, Prof Dr. Mohammad Nasih SE MT Ak, and the vice-rectors and deans attended the proceeding. Asst Prof Dr. Preecha Salaemae, President of Princess Naradhiwas University, along with representatives and students engaged in student exchange programs at UNAIR, were also present.

Global education endeavor

In his address, Prof Nasih conveyed UNAIR’s aspiration to foster international cooperation. The international collaborations will offer new opportunities and insights for the universities and academic communities involved.

“International cooperation of this nature is a testament to our (UNAIR) commitment to realizing global education. Besides collaborating in academic fields such as student exchanges or research publications, we also aim to create programs such as community development,” stated Prof Nasih.

Furthermore, Prof Nasih expressed gratitude to Princess Naradhiwas University for their willingness to collaborate with the Universitas Airlangga. “As we embark on this collaboration, we are hopeful that it will yield significant benefits for both institutions. We aspire to see the agreements outlined in the MoU effectively realized,” Prof Nasih stated.

Future prospects

Asst Prof Dr. Preecha Salaemae, President of Princess Naradhiwas University, also extended his gratitude to UNAIR. “We feel honored to have been invited to Surabaya. It marks a promising beginning for academic collaboration, and we hope to effectively implement the agreements outlined in this MoU,” Prof Preecha replied.

A representative from Airlangga Global Engagement, Dina Septiani PhD, then outlined the collaborative opportunities that could be realized by UNAIR and Princess Naradhiwas University. These opportunities include student and faculty exchanges, research collaboration, and joint publications.

“In 2022, UNAIR also visited Princess Naradhiwas University and engaged in student exchanges several times, one of which involved the Faculty of Nursing. Therefore, I believe this collaboration will proceed smoothly in the future,” concluded Dina.

Flexible Artificial Intelligence Optoelectronic Sensors Towards Health Monitoring

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Tokyo University of Science

Artificial intelligence (AI) is known for its high energy consumption, especially in data-intensive tasks like health monitoring. To address this, researchers at Tokyo University of Science (TUS) have developed a flexible paper-based sensor composed of nanocellulose and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles that operates like the human eyes and brain. The sensor is energy-efficient, responds to optical input in real-time, and is both flexible and easy to dispose of, making it ideal for health monitoring applications.

A paper-based sensor based on the operation of the human brain paves the way for standalone energy-efficient AI-based health monitoring devices

From creating images, generating text, and enabling self-driving cars, the potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) are vast and transformative. However, all this capability comes at a very high energy cost. For instance, estimates indicate that training OPEN AI’s popular GPT-3 model consumed over 1,287 MWh, enough to supply an average U.S. household for 120 years. This energy cost poses a substantial roadblock, particularly for using AI in large-scale applications like health monitoring where large amounts of critical health information are sent to centralized data centers for processing. This not only consumes a lot of energy but also raises concerns about sustainability, bandwidth overload, and communication delays.

Achieving AI-based health monitoring and biological diagnosis requires a standalone sensor that operates independently without the need for constant connection to a central server. At the same time, the sensor must have a low power consumption for prolonged use, should be capable of handling the rapidly changing biological signals for real-time monitoring, be flexible enough to attach comfortably to the human body, and be easy to make and dispose of due to the need for frequent replacements for hygiene reasons.

Considering these criteria, researchers from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) led by Associate Professor Takashi Ikuno have developed a flexible paper-based sensor that operates like the human brain. Their findings were published online in the journal Advanced Electronic Materials on 22 February 2024.

“A paper-based optoelectronic synaptic device composed of nanocellulose and ZnO was developed for realizing physical reservoir computing. This device exhibits synaptic behavior and cognitive tasks at a suitable timescale for health monitoring,” says Dr. Ikuno.

In the human brain, information travels between networks of neurons through synapses. Each neuron can process information on its own, enabling the brain to handle multiple tasks at the same time. This ability for parallel processing makes the brain much more efficient compared to traditional computing systems. To mimic this capability, the researchers fabricated a photo-electronic artificial synapse device composed of gold electrodes on top of a 10 µm transparent film consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs).

The transparent film serves three main purposes. Firstly, it allows light to pass through, enabling it to handle optical input signals representing various biological information. Secondly, the cellulose nanofibers impart flexibility and can be easily disposed of by incineration. Thirdly, the ZnO nanoparticles are photoresponsive and generate a photocurrent when exposed to pulsed UV light and a constant voltage. This photocurrent mimics the responses transmitted by synapsis in the human brain, enabling the device to interpret and process biological information received from optical sensors.

Notably, the film was able to distinguish 4-bit input optical pulses and generate distinct currents in response to time-series optical input, with a rapid response time on the order of subseconds. This quick response is crucial for detecting sudden changes or abnormalities in health-related signals. Furthermore, when exposed to two successive light pulses, the electrical current response was stronger for the second pulse. This behavior termed post-potentiation facilitation contributes to short-term memory processes in the brain and enhances the ability of synapses to detect and respond to familiar patterns.

To test this, the researchers converted MNIST images, a dataset of handwritten digits, into 4-bit optical pulses. They then irradiated the film with these pulses and measured the current response. Using this data as input, a neural network was able to recognize handwritten numbers with an accuracy of 88%.

Remarkably, this handwritten-digit recognition capability remained unaffected even when the device was repeatedly bent and stretched up to 1,000 times, demonstrating its ruggedness and feasibility for repeated use. “This study highlights the potential of embedding semiconductor nanoparticles in flexible CNF films for use as flexible synaptic devices for PRC,” concludes Dr. Ikuno.

Let us hope that these advancements pave the way for wearable sensors in health monitoring applications!

GoodWalk Thailand: Designing “Walkable City” Revitalizing the Economy, Enhancing Quality of Life for City Dwellers

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Chulalongkorn University

Chula joins hands with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) to design “Walkable City” using the GoodWalk Score as the criteria for selecting the pilot area to be developed as Walkable City in Bangkok as well as many cities around the country. The plan is to help reduce pollution, revitalize tourism, and the local economy while enhancing the quality of life and health for city dwellers.

At the GoodWalk Forum Thailand 2023 some interesting average figures were shown.
Bangkokians spend an average of 800 hours travelling by car.
Expenses for car travel of city dwellers is about 20% of their entire expense.
The furthest distance a city dweller is willing to walk is 800 meters or around 10 minutes.
44 % of all Bangkokians have some form of obesity.
What do these figures mean for us?

The Bangkok Metropolis is a city of car dependency. The more roads we have, the higher the number of cars on the streets. The price we pay is the rising number of PM2.5 on the Bangkok Air Quality Index, and traffic congestion that takes a toll on the economy while bringing about increased mental and physical distress.

Concepts and guidelines for urban development must be altered. Instead of focusing on increasing new roads, we might need to pay attention to designing “Walkable City” to ensure that walking becomes a part of our daily lives.

Such an idea isn’t an outmoded matter that goes against development concepts. Several countries in America, Europe, and Asia are now focusing more on walking and applying the concept of “Walkable Cities.” Copenhagen is one such city that has taken over 10 years to recover areas and dedicate public spaces for pedestrians.

Thailand has also responded to this trend by creating “Walkable Cities” with the collaboration between the Urban Design and Development Center, Center of Excellence in Urban Strategies, or UDDC-CEUS) Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (Thai Health) in the “Walkable Cities: GoodWalk Thailand” starting from 2014 up until the present.

“The project which isn’t only about improvements or widening pavements, is crucial for Thailand’s urban development strategies — environmental, economic, social along with health and well-being and preparation for the effects of climate change and an aging society.” Associate Professor Dr. Niramon Serisakul Director of Chula’s Urban Design and Development Center explained the significance of the project at the “GOODWALK FORUM THAILAND 2023” held last October.

The forum offered a chance for people to find out more about the concept of walkable city in the Bangkok Metropolis and various other cities that the project has worked on for the past 9 years. The work started from a study and survey of the area to derive an index to develop the walkability potentials and develop the Goodwalk Score map to identify areas where the design will be piloted, improving the connection between various destinations until it becomes a concrete sample area. Some of these areas are that of Chula-Samyan, Bantadthong, Siam Square, and the Chaophraya River sky bridge.

Improved quality of life

Many research works indicate that the structure and environment of a city have a profound effect on the way of life and physical activities of its dwellers. Developing a city to make it more conducive for walking can bring about the following benefits such as:

Improvement in physical health

If the area offers the chance for people to be able to walk safely and conveniently it will motivate more people to go out and walk and increase their physical activities which in turn will yield positive health benefits.

Citing statistics from the World Health Organization, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon said that each year about 1.9 million deaths result from insufficient physical activity (WHO advises people to engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.)

“For this reason, providing an urban structure that allows people to walk more will also help promote their health. Two to three more times one’s normal physical activity can help reduce illnesses and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and obesity which are related to death rates from cardiovascular disease”

Economic improvement especially for SMEs

Walkable District will help stimulate the economy and affect income distribution to small entrepreneurs in the area which will help maintain both the existing economy and increase the new economy. Moreover, land and real estate prices are higher in walkable neighborhoods than in non-walkable neighborhoods. a

In addition, research results from the past 10 years have found that 49 percent of the new generation that is so-called the Gen Me have a lifestyle where they choose their area of residence before choosing a job. They often show a preference for living in a walkable area. This means that creative urban designs with walkable areas also mean value added to the area.

Cultural creative incubation

Once the cities become walkable, they attract more people to take part in activities in the public areas. Along with that are artists and those with special abilities who now have a venue to show off their talents.

Inclusive Society

With more people walking around, there is an increased level of interaction creating a feeling of connection to one’s own place of residence, and being acquainted with people in the same neighborhood, leading to increased safety in the community along with greater implications for promoting equality in society. In addition, having walkable areas will help respond to the needs of the elderly so that they will no longer be lonely at home since there is now a safe space outside the house to come out and enjoy life in various ways.

“In Thailand, we still do not find many elderly people walking in public areas due to bad sidewalks making walking difficult and increasing the risk of accidents. This might be the reason why Thailand has the highest risk of the elderly who are bed-ridden in Asia” observed Adisak Guntamueanglee who is currently a Deputy Director at the Urban Design and Development Center, Chulalongkorn University.

What is a Walkable City?

The project has developed its website called GoodWalk (http://goodwalk.org/) as a channel for presenting stories, news, and perspectives about walkable cities and good walking cities, both domestically and internationally. The highlight of the website is the GoodWalk Score which ranks “walkable” and “good walking” areas in both the Bangkok Metropolis and upcountry.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon defines “A Walkable City” as “a city’s space or area where people’s daily destination is in walking distance or approximately 500-800 meters.”

The criteria for measurement and scoring “a walkable city” is based on those destinations related to people and their daily lives which are 1) workplaces 2) educational institutions, 3) consumer goods, 4) recreation, 5) banking/transactions/public services, and 6) public transportation.

In Bangkok, the areas that scored highest in terms of their “walkability” are Siam Square, Khao San Road, and Bang Rak District – in that order.

For a city to be good for walking “it must be designed with safe and convenient walking in mind with wide and shady sidewalks, enough lighting, no obstructions and a pleasant environment that makes it conducive for walking.”

Some of Bangkok’s areas that are good for walking are roads like Rama I, Ratchawong, Chakrapong, Lad Ya, Lane 7 of Siam Square, etc.

Aside from Bangkok, the GoodWalk website has also assessed the walkability of streets upcountry. In Chiang Mai, for example, the areas deemed walkable are Chang Phueak, Ta Pae, and Warorot Market.

Those who are interested can access http://goodwalk.org/ to find out the Goodwalk scores in their neighborhood or travel destination.

Working together to create a “walkable city”

Bangkok’s vast number of automobiles has turned it into a city of cars. Developing it into a “walkable city” would take time, especially in its endeavors to get people to realize the merits of having a walkable city.

Deputy Director Adisak explained that “One of the most important factors in making a city walkable has to do with the city’s administrators – those with a vision, those who are daring enough to make decisions and make changes. Another factor is that all those who have a stake in a certain area must accept that all changes will affect one group or another. We need time to get people to understand the importance of these changes and the benefits they would yield before we can produce an urban development policy.”

The project has made use of the GoodWalk Score in its selection of areas targeted in concrete ways for in-depth development. The next step is to explain to all relevant parties the benefits of walkable cities. The project will need to work with government and private agencies, development partners, and the public sector in the area both in terms of surveys and design of various neighborhoods in Bangkok and cities in other provinces.

The Chula area as a Walkable Area or City sandbox

In his opinion, Mr. Adisak believes Bangkok has the potential to be developed into a Walkable City.

“It has been the policy of the previous as well as the current Governor of Bangkok to emphasize rail system public transport resulting in more people walking. Changing the entire city of Bangkok into a walking city is most difficult, however, since many areas are closed up, some have been left abandoned and there are overlapping problems between various agencies. The project has introduced the “city acupuncture” concept which involves developing small patches area by area that leads to physical and social changes on a larger scale.”

One of the areas that is ready for such changes is that of Chulalongkorn University.

A survey found that since the Patumwan, Siam and Samyan area has destinations in everyday life that are within walking distance, it is one of the highest walkability indexes in Bangkok and Thailand. Therefore, the project has worked together with several sectors in the University to create a master plan for this.

Associate Professor Jittisak Thammapornpilas, Chula’s Vice President for Property and Physical Resources Management has outlined some of the plans for making this a reality.

“Chula is an essential pilot sandbox. We now have covered sidewalks connecting various buildings on campus, we use electric buses and Tuk Tuks, and have also introduced car sharing and bike sharing which do not leave a carbon footprint and are environmentally friendly to ensure what is known as First and Last Mile Connectivity.”

Chulalongkorn University has also worked towards turning the Siam Square, Suan Luang, and Sam Yan areas walkable with sun and rain protection structures, connection to all surrounding areas, and installing car deceleration points, along with road closures in Siam Square turning the area into a walking street with various recreational activities like street performances, open-air markets as well as joining forces with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to present an outdoor movie festival.

Changing our cities one walk at a time

Other than the Chula area, the project has joined hands with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to roll out the BANGKOK 250 to turn Bangkok into a world-class city in time to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2032.

The project aims to revitalize 17 inner city areas, accounting for 60% of Bangkok’s total area making it a walkable city. The areas are Ratchadamnoen Klang, Ta Chang-Ta Tien piers, Ban Mor, Bang Khun Non – Faichai, Kudi Chin – Khlong San, Yothi-Ratchawithi, Soi Polo-Ruamrudee, Talad Noi, Saphan Pla-Yannawa- Thanon Tok, Wongwien Yai and to restore the residential zone around Charan Sanitwong, Yannawa- Bang Kolaem.

There are also plans to restore the historical zone of Rattanakosin and Thonburi, the central commercial zone of Patumwan – Bang Rak, and the commercial Taksin area. Plans are also underway to develop a continuous walkway, Bangkok’s green bridge, and surrounding areas that link to the rail and public transport system with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as well.

One of the successful and highly visible prototype projects that brings pride is the conversion of the abandoned Lavalin Skytrain structure into Chao Phraya Sky Park.

“This area is a connection point for foot and bicycle traffic of both the Phra Nakhon side and the Thonburi side. It also supports various activities such as walking, relaxing, and watching the sunrise and sunset. Trees were planted to provide shade and rest areas, allowing tourists easy crossing, and creating economic opportunities for people on the Thonburi side,” Mr. Adisak said.

According to Assoc. Prof. Niramon, the project is also working with the BMA to survey the Ratchawithi – Yothi area to construct a skywalk that links the service area on both sides and the surrounding areas.

“With as many as seven leading hospitals and medical schools, this neighborhood was once an area that Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram wished to develop into a medical metropolis. This is a good opportunity, therefore, to revitalize the area adding a skywalk to accommodate more users. With wider sidewalks, it should be safer to walk around with a roof to shield pedestrians from the heat and rain. It will help reduce the use of cars and increase the use of public transportation. It helps to connect hospital buildings and commercial areas and will act like capillaries in promoting the economy, well-being, and creation of good communities.“

Promoting tourism with walkable city planning

Aside from being a driving force in developing capital cities, the walkable city concept can also be used to develop secondary cities at the regional level as well.

“What makes it challenging is that each city is different, and has its own unique identity. The urban costs and cultural costs are not the same. These things can be further developed along with the development of the city that promotes walkability. Cities that emphasize cultural tourism must certainly promote walkability.” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon stressed.

The project’s research team works in collaboration with local government agencies that understand the city to conduct surveys and consider the city’s selling points and strengths. This includes creating a community to listen to the voices of people in the area and provide the opportunity for participatory decision-making in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and acceptance of change. The next step is for the community to work together to design a city that is linked with pavements that enable walking along routes of cultural heritage, economic routes, learning routes, and green routes that promote health and well-being along with social activities to the members of those communities.

Some examples of the prototype cities that the project has been involved in developing are Lamphun which is an ancient city, Roi-et with its festivals, Nakhon Si Thammarat which has a temple that houses the Buddha’s relics and Rayong which is an old town.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon said that the project has already worked with local agencies to develop as many as 33 cities in Thailand. Their target is to help promote health, society, and the economy by developing small businesses and creating walkable cities while responding to the needs of each city as much as possible.

After nine years of working on these projects, several cities have started to take strides. The project is confident in how these walkable cities are working out in both the capital city and regional cities. What is perhaps most challenging are the perspectives shown by agencies in the government sector.

“Since government agencies still do not see and neither do they accept the possibility of walkable cities as a way for developing cities in Thailand, there has yet to be any budget allocation for this effort. Instead, city development is still mostly about securing budgets for new roads or road improvement“ she added.

Nevertheless, the UDDC-CEUS and its development partners continue to push forward the concept of developing a Walkable City as a strategy for urban development in Thailand. Assoc. Prof. Niramon concluded that they hope the different ideas proposed by the project in such books as Walkable City: When Bangkok Starts Walking or Walkable 101 The Walkable Cities in Roi-et and Complete Streets: Standards for Walkable Cities can be used as reference and resources and become more widely accepted so that they can become part of the policies and guidelines for urban development in Thailand in the future.

For those interested in finding out more about Walkable Cities kindly access Facebook: www.facebook.com/uddcbangkok or contact the project at the UddC center via email at [email protected]

Read the full article at https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/151458/