UNAIR NEWS – Once again, the Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) team has made another international achievement. This time, under the leadership of Putri Mardhotillah from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPK), the team secured a silver medal at an international exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Bangkok International Intellectual Property, Invention, Innovation, and Technology Exposition (IPITEx) exhibition was held from Friday to Tuesday, February 2-6, 2024. IPITEx is an annual event held to commemorate Thailand Inventors’ Day, observed every February 2.
In an interview session on Wednesday, February 2, 2024, Galih Satrio Jati, representing the team, revealed that there were seven members in the team. Apart from the leader and himself, the team included Diaz Samsun Aif, Qurotul Uyun Binnisail, Mimi Azmita, Ahmad Rayhan, and Atsir Alma Dinnisa.
The Auto-Feeder Vanatech
The Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM) student explained their innovation, Vanatech, a smart auto-feeder innovation designed to evenly distribute feed to shrimp ponds.
“Vanatech focuses on creating an environmentally friendly auto feeder, addressing the inconsistency in current shrimp feeding practices. This auto feeder can move around the pond, ensuring that the shrimp receive evenly distributed feed,” Galih said.
Vanatech also features sensors to monitor water quality in the pond. They use renewable energy through solar panels, making it more environmentally friendly.
The concept, functionality, and advantages of Vanatech were evident from the title of their innovation, Vanatech: Eco-Friendly Smart Auto-Feeder with Brushless Motor and Automatic Controlling for Enhancing Vannamei Shrimp Productivity.
Behind the Scenes
Galih further explained that the innovation was a continuation of their Student Creativity Program (PKM) project. As members of the PKM Application of Science and Technology (PKM-PI) team, they continued refining and advancing their initial innovation.
“Initially, this project started as part of the PKM-PI. We collaborated with our partners, identified their challenges, engaged in discussions, and subsequently developed this innovation to address their specific issues,” he said.
They expressed a commitment to ongoing development, aiming to enhance innovation from various angles for optimal perfection. They also hoped that potential investors will assist Vanatech’s future development.
“Since we use the term ‘smart’ in our innovation, we will include some elements (for innovation sustainability, Ed.), such as DO sensors. We can also reduce the size for easier transport from one pond to another. Hopefully, we can find investors to fund the project,” he said.
Author: Muhammad Badrul Anwar
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
