UNAIR NEWS — Three Biomedical Engineering students once again brought pride to UNAIR by earning a notable achievement at BIEPC 2025. Calling themselves the “Idinoda” team, members Deva Cantika, Aldi Rohmat Akbar, and Priya Novitasari Dwi Yanti secured 3rd Place Internationally with their innovative project titled “TropiScan: AI-Based Tropical Disease Diagnostic Application with Tele-Referral System.”
The Biomedical International Essay and Poster Competition (BIEPC) is a respected event showcasing biomedical innovations and is held as part of the 2025 Dies Natalis celebration of ITERA’s Biomedical Engineering Student Association (HMBM). This year’s theme, “Shaping Technology for Future Health Care,” underscores the role of students in building modern, adaptive, and technology-driven medical services.
From concern to innovation
“The idea for TropiScan stemmed from our concern about limited health-care facilities in remote regions, which often lead to delayed detection of tropical diseases. We wanted to introduce technology that speeds up diagnosis while connecting patients with medical personnel online,” said team representative Deva Cantika.
TropiScan functions as an AI-powered diagnostic tool capable of interpreting common symptoms, such as fever, cough, rashes, or fatigue, and generating a rapid, preliminary assessment of tropical diseases. The app includes an interactive diagnostic menu where users input their symptoms, allowing the system to produce real-time analysis and an immediate overview of potential conditions.
In addition, its Tele-Referral System enables users to quickly obtain referrals to nearby medical facilities. The Doctor Notification & Monitoring feature lets physicians track patient status remotely. The app also offers routine check-up features for asymptomatic users and direct messaging with doctors, creating an integrated platform for digital health services.
Long process and key challenges
Before settling on their final concept, the Idinoda team explored two major ideas: a tropical disease diagnostic application and a non-invasive drug detection tool using sweat analysis. After extensive literature reviews, consultations with faculty, and repeated revisions, they chose to submit the drug-detection concept for the essay competition and develop TropiScan for the scientific poster category.
Although their drug-detection concept did not secure a win in the essay competition, the team’s dedication ultimately paid off through TropiScan’s international recognition.
“We were anxious and exhausted as the competition approached, but hearing TropiScan announced as the international third-place winner made everything worthwhile. It proves that teamwork and the intention to create meaningful impact can lead to extraordinary results,” Cantika added.
This accomplishment highlights the innovative drive of UNAIR’s Biomedical Engineering students in developing technology-based health solutions for global challenges, particularly in combating tropical diseases, which remain highly relevant in Indonesia.
Author: Saffana Raisa Rahmania
Editor : Ragil Kukuh Imanto
