Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) recently inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence for Healthcare and Society (PUI-AIHeS). The inauguration was done virtually on 15 October 2020.
In his remarks, ITS’ chancellor Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochamad Ashari articulated that this center of excellence has a very strategic and comprehensive role. Although it was inaugurated recently, PUI-AHeS is targeted to immediately meet the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Commercial Readiness Level (CRL).
“This includes several points, such as ideas, concepts, proof of a theory, prototypes creation, certification, and mass production,” said Prof. Ashari.
He revealed that ITS will focus on health and artificial intelligence in 2021. Prof. Ashari also hopes that this new center of excellence can collaborate with research centers, study centers, and all laboratories at ITS.
“As well as being able to form a consortium, determining topics to work on, and producing new products,” he added.
On the same occasion, ITS Deputy Chancellor IV for Research, Innovation, Cooperation, and Alumni, Dr. Bambang Pramujati, said that there are already a lot of products from PUI-AIHeS so that we only need to disseminate them to public. Therefore, there are three things to expect, developing the capacity of resources to funding, developing the capacity of research development, and dissemination.
Dr Bambang felt that this inauguration was the awaited moment by many parties. “Research, innovation, and innovative products will be the proponent of the institute’s development to become a campus that is beneficial to society,” said the Mechanical Engineering lecturer.
In line with Bambang, ITS Director of Research and Community Service (DRPM), Dr. Agus Muhamad Hatta also expressed his gratitude for the trust of Kemenristek-BRIN, so that PUI-AIHeS could be inaugurated.
PUI, which has specific characteristics and is second to none in Indonesia, is considered the right choice, because artificial intelligence has become an important topic in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Society 5.0.
Considering that the interest in the development of artificial intelligence is high, the Director of Innovation & Science Technology Area (DIKST), Achmad Affandi DEA, expressed his hope that PUI-AIHeS could contribute to the development of AI-based industries on a national scale.
Even though ITS doesn’t have a hospital, but ITS can work together with various hospitals in advancing innovation in the health sector. On the other hand, the Head of PUI-AIHeS, Dr. Ir. Endroyono, DEA mentioned that the center of excellence has five development programs, i.e. institutional reinforcement, excellence enhancement, commercialization, issue formulation and strategic research, and cooperation with industry.
Endroyono continued, PUI-AIHeS is expected to become a center and reference in the technology development in the field of artificial intelligence for the health sector for the importance of society on a national and international scale.
“This launching is a proof that PUI-AIHeS has become part of ITS to support the achievement of ITS ID 4.0 program,” he said.
In the inauguration video, PUI-AIHes has developed several superior products and innovations, namely Tracing Covid-19 ITS (TRACITS) which provides access to information on the distribution of Covid-19 patients, referral hospitals, and projections of the spread of Covid-19. Then there is RAISA Robot which is the product of collaboration between ITS and UNAIR in coping with Covid-19.