A team of UGM researchers led by Dr. E. Elsa Herdiana Murhandarwati has conducted a study on the implementation of the regulatory sandbox in the digital health sector. The regulatory sandbox refers to a testing mechanism for the innovation’s reliability, functionality, and safety in a controlled environment.

“Disruptive health tech innovations offer both potential and challenges for the Indonesian Ministry of Health in supervising and drafting regulations,” said Murhandarwati.

In Indonesia, the regulatory sandbox has been implemented solely in the financial sector to ensure that every fintech product circulating in the country is guaranteed to be reliable, safe, and of high quality. In addition to protecting the consumers, this approach will also benefit the innovation owners as the value of their products increases from rigorous product testing proven by a team of experts.

To explore the overall governance of the health regulatory sandbox, the team conducted trials on digital technology used for the malaria program (e-Malaria). Healthtech players were invited to test the reliability of their innovative products and business models in the national malaria program, including diagnostics, consultation, quality assurance, surveillance, and others.

“The innovators registered themselves at http://sandbox.kemkes.go.id before December 2021. They were then grouped into four clusters according to their respective focuses,” she said.

From January to June 2022, the innovators went through proposal evaluation, product documentation evaluation, product testing, and monitoring and evaluation with reviewers from various stakeholders. Aspects assessed include substance, functionality, product safety, and the business model of each product innovation. Twelve health technology innovators with sixteen product innovations have passed the product documentation evaluation in March 2022.

The e-Malaria Regulatory Sandbox serves as the basis for issuing further regulatory sandbox governance regulations, as announced by the Ministry of Health in the Blueprint for the 2024 Digital Health Transformation Strategy. Aside from malaria, these regulations have the potential to be applied to other diseases and their varied kinds of innovations.

“These regulations will serve as the legal basis for regulators, developers/innovators/start-ups in the health sector, and consumers/users,” she said.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22470-menguji-keandalan-healthtech-dengan-regulatory-sandbox

UGM Center for Digital Society (CfDS) has launched the harmful content reporting platform https://antikontennegatif.id as part of the #SocialMedia4Peace project run by CfDS with support from UNESCO and the European Union. This initial launch aims to solicit input from the public regarding the ease of use of the platform and suggestions for further development.

CfDS researcher Paska Darmawan said people could report harmful content they encountered on social media and share their relevant experiences on the website.

“The public can take advantage of this website (to report harmful content) and share it with others, providing advice that can help many people,” said Darmawan at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Monday (25/4).

Senior researcher at CfDS Dr. Novi Kurnia added that based on 2019 data from the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Informatics, there were more than 430 thousand reports of harmful content, including disinformation, pornographic content, defamation, hate speech, misinformation, and others. The diversity of content types and mechanisms for dealing with malicious content set by social media platforms often confuse people.

“The Anti-Harmful Content website also offers convenience for the public by providing images that illustrate the steps for reporting harmful content on the most widely used social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and others,” said Kurnia.

She emphasized that the website does not function as a substitute for content reporting mechanisms available on social media but as a form of collaboration between various stakeholders to provide input for improving the digital ecosystem. In addition, this website is a follow-up to CfDS’ legal review of the legal and regulatory framework in Indonesia regarding the handling of illegal and malicious content in the digital space.

“The results of this study indicate that there are still gaps for improvement in terms of social media platforms, government, NGOs, and academic groups to create a safe social media space,” she said.

Apart from warding off harmful content on social media, the Anti-Harmful Content website is expected to provide a better understanding to the public of the dynamics and impacts of the spread of harmful content in Indonesia and develop peaceful and inclusive cyberspace for its users.

The Anti-Harmful Content website will be officially launched at the Multistakeholder Coalition Conference in May 2022. Besides Indonesia, the #SocialMedia4Peace project is also run in Kenya and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Source: https://www.ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22469-tangkal-konten-berbahaya-cfds-luncurkan-situs-web-anti-konten-negatif

UGM Center for Transportation and Logistics Studies hosted a webinar on ‘Transportation and the Realization of a Healthy City’ to discuss policy recommendations for planning and building healthy cities in Indonesia on Thursday (21/4).

One of the speakers, Dr. Sany Roychansyah, lecturer at the Department of Architecture and Planning, said that apart from beautifying cities, urban space development in Indonesia must also take notice of the physical, mental, and social health of its citizens.

To that end, the planning policy is directed at building a healthy and enchanting city by increasing pedestrian roads, reducing vehicle volume, providing sports facilities, and preparing public transport infrastructure.

“The realization of a healthy city is where all individuals support each other in carrying out all the functions of life and developing their potential,” he said.

Urban health, he continued, did not only concern physical health but also mental and social health. The indicators for the assessment of healthy urban development comprise 10% of the physical environment, 40% of social and economic factors, 30% of healthy living behaviors, and 20% of healthcare facilities.

“A healthy city is always measured by health status, risk factors, as well as health systems and services. It is undeniable that the health component has a larger portion, but social characteristics, spatial planning, policies, and culture are also important indicators to review,” he added.

Building a healthy city means taking account of health in transportation planning to bring down the obesity rate of citizens, reduce vehicle emissions, and promote environmentally-friendly vehicles. The transportation sector plays a role in supporting the 15-minute city concept where all resident amenities are accessible within a travel distance of fifteen minutes.

“Focus more on pedestrians, such as in those zero-carbon cities or car-free cities, to reduce the number of vehicles in the city. Also, increase the number of sports facilities by following the sports city concept,” he said.

In addition, Roychansyah argues that the criteria for assessing a healthy city must include how the city prioritizes access, mobility, and health-friendly transportation.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22464-pemda-perlu-menggalakkan-pembangunan-kota-sehat-rendah-emisi

Geographic Information Science lecturer Dr. Pramaditya Wicaksono and a team of researchers have developed a digital image processing toolbox for automatic mapping of seagrass sequestration and aboveground carbon stocks.

The research involves lecturers, researchers, and students from wide-ranging national and international institutions, such as the BRIN’s Oceanographic Research Center and Space Research Center, the Geospatial Information Agency, the University of Queensland, Wageningen University and Research, and TH Köln.

Although seagrass beds cover less than 1% of the earth’s oceans, they store about 18% of the total carbon in the oceans. The ability of seagrass beds to absorb carbon and bury it in sediments is more than 30 times higher than that of tropical rainforests, known as high carbon sequestration ecosystems.

Unlike the other blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves or coral reefs, seagrass beds have been below the radar despite their tremendous contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. The economic value of seagrass ecosystem services (19,004 USD/ha/year) is also much higher than that of mangrove forests (9,990 USD/ha/year) and coral reefs (6,075 USD/ha/year).

Furthermore, it is estimated that 30% of the world’s seagrass meadows have disappeared. Seagrass meadows decrease by almost 1 hectare every 30 minutes or 2 – 5% per year. Compared to coral reefs and mangrove forests, there are far fewer seagrass restoration efforts.

“Seagrass ecosystem services have not been widely exposed and are still less popular than other blue carbon ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangrove forests,” said Wicaksono.

Making up 5 to 10% of the world’s seagrass meadows, Indonesia has yet to optimize the management of seagrass and its ecosystem services. According to 2018 data validated by the BRIN’s Oceanographic Research Center, the estimated area of seagrass beds in Indonesia is only 293,464 ha, or around 16 – 35% of the country’s potential area.

Efforts to improve this situation include acquiring data and causes of changes and reductions in seagrass beds in Indonesia and mapping the spatial and temporal distribution of seagrass beds and their biophysical information, such as species variation, percentage cover, biomass, carbon stock, and rate of carbon uptake. Having this information on a multi-temporal basis will help researchers identify the dynamics of seagrass ecosystems.

“It will take a long time, personnel with special competencies, and large funds for conventional surveys of seagrass beds in Indonesia. We lack historical data regarding the spatial and temporal distribution of seagrass beds. For this reason, we develop remote sensing data processing methods to map seagrass beds,” he explained.

As suggested by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), remote sensing is the main approach to complementing the sparse global dataset on the spatial distribution of seagrass beds and mapping of seagrass ecosystem services.

“Given the breadth of the blue carbon ecosystems in Indonesia, the country will have a more significant role in climate change adaptation and mitigation by having this information and incorporating it in the NDCs,” he said.

Since 2013, the UGM Coastal Biodiversity Remote Sensing Research Group has formulated numerous remote sensing methods to map varied parameters of blue carbon ecosystems, including seagrass beds and mangrove forests. Some of them are for mapping spatial and temporal distribution, species, percentage cover, leaf area index, carbon stock, and carbon sequestration of seagrass beds.

The Research Group has also developed a spectral library for various seagrass species in Indonesia, worked on algorithms and toolboxes for automatic mapping of seagrass carbon reserves and sequestration, mapped and monitored the dynamics of seagrass beds, and analyzed the impact of human activities on changes in seagrass cover area and the collapse of seagrass ecosystems.

Source: https://sahabat.ugm.ac.id/fo/berita/detail_berita/qVr2jnOJ_SkLieTwICeIxThI11NtM4NRbtbM7iRIhHdYU5OjMMr4-fYSzc0pSKiyjq9L8Hk1524ags3YSoy_x1l0vR7FwuXTI2JibBvJa5uJG3_0ukCDutuaMZDRFVhdJgo4LpS1l5TjUV6446iBl-YB2bjWB6CzHk_CtHTBW4c=

Students of the UGM Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wiskara Jatipradresthya and Kuky Cahya Hamurajib, have taken home the Most Voted Innovators at 2022 Health Innovation Sprint Accelerator for their AI-driven vital signs monitoring device for obstetric patients called Vital Sense.

Shortlisted as one of the top five innovations at the event, Vital Sense offers 24/7 remote monitoring of vital signs under the direct supervision of healthcare professionals. This device enables professionals to assess a patient’s modified early obstetric warning score for early detection and further treatment recommendations.

“We designed Vital Sense to periodically monitor blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, saturation, body temperature, blood sugar, and Hb levels, the data of which are stored in the cloud and processed with AI. These are objective data that complement subjective data from telemedicine,” explained Jatipradresthya, Monday (4/4).

Vital Sense is currently in development, entering pre-clinical research. Jatipradresthya hopes the innovation can proceed to the final stages of development and get support from the community until its release.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22415-mahasiswa-ugm-kembangkan-alat-pemantau-kesehatan-pasien-selama-24-jam-berbasis-digital

Aromatic telon oil Habbie developed and produced by two UGM alumnae has broken a MURI (Museum Rekor Dunia Indonesia/Indonesian World Records Museum) record for having the most aromatic variants. This record has been registered at the MURI in Semarang, Central Java, since 4 March 2022.

“Habbie received the World Record for being a telon oil product with the most aromatic variants,” said Chair of MURI Semarang Ari Andriani.

Habbie is a Yogyakarta-based baby care product founded in 2019. Novita Anggraeni (Faculty of Geography) and Nur Rokhma Azzizah (Faculty of Forestry) combine Indonesia’s traditional telon oil (made of fennel oil, cajuput oil, and coconut oil) with aromatic scents from all over the world.

“Telon oil is a form of local wisdom that has existed for a long time in Indonesia. Unfortunately, many millennial mothers don’t like the smell of traditional telon oil in general,” said Anggraeni.

With its pleasant fragrance, Habbie is a safe perfume substitute for babies, parents, and anyone. Azzizah hopes that her team will continue to inspire the community by developing and producing the best products for children and mothers in Indonesia.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22358-dua-alumni-ugm-raih-rekor-muri-melalui-produk-minyak-telon

The Smart Agricultural Enterprise (SAE) developed by the UGM Faculty of Agricultural Technology has increased the productivity of soybean yields, as seen from the recent harvest of the local variety Grobogan which reached 2.4 tonnes per hectare. In the project that utilized 400 hectares of land in Bantul, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) collaborated with the government of Bantul Regency, Java Agro Prima, and local farmer groups.

Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology Prof. Eni Harmayani said SAE-based soybeans were of high quality and had met standards specified by the Seed Certification and Supervision Agency of Yogyakarta. The SAE can help realize food sovereignty and self-sufficiency through increased national soybean production.

“The SAE, which includes a real-time Field Monitoring System (FMS) device, an agricultural traceability app, intensification of regenerative farming, equipment assistance, and improved post-harvest facilities, assists farmer groups in increasing yield quality and productivity,” said Harmayani, Monday (14/3).

UGM Rector Prof. Panut Mulyono added the quality of SAE-based soybeans is level with imported ones, hence can compete in the market. With various research and development efforts, Mulyono hopes Indonesia can become self-reliant and no longer need to import. However, as the production per hectare is around 1.6 tons, the pursuit of self-reliance in soybeans is sometimes still in doubt.

“With the SAE, it can reach 2.4 tonnes per hectare. It is promising and must continue to develop. Hopefully, Bantul can be an example for other regions,” said Mulyono.

The Rector said the government was serious and committed to realizing food estate. If Indonesia’s productivity can catch up with the US, he believes many investors will come to the country. He calls for multiple-helix collaborations to make this happen.

Head of the Department of Agriculture and Food Security of Bantul Regency Joko Waluyo expressed his gratitude for the harvest. Despite being done in the off-season, the yield has increased to 2.4 tonnes (usually only 1.4 – 1.6 tonnes per hectare). According to Waluyo, Bantul still has hundreds of hectares of uncultivated land, and about 80 hectares of them would receive assistance from UGM with the SAE.

“We hope, with the SAE, the production can double from the previous ones,” said Waluyo.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22355-ugm-panen-kedelai-varietas-grobogan-program-sae-kedelai

In collaboration with the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and the University of Agder, Norway, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) offers the ASEAN Master in Sustainability Management program.

This collaborative program is initiated and funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For the first two intakes of this program, the Norwegian government will award a full scholarship of USD 17,000 to selected students from ASEAN countries. Out of 90 applicants, the program admitted 23 students from 8 countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

“These students are currently in the second semester of the program. Next semester, they will do internships and thesis or take a double degree opportunity at the University of Agder, Norway,” said Program Coordinator at UGM, Rocky Adiguna, Ph.D.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to ASEAN Pays a Visit to UGM

H.E. Kjell Tormod Pettersen delivered a guest lecture to ASEAN Master in Sustainability Management students on Monday (7/3). According to the Ambassador, his party is committed to encouraging heightened political and security cooperation, especially concerning reconciliation and security, good governance, and human rights.

The Norwegian government establishes economic cooperation with ASEAN in the energy sector and free trade, whereas socio-cultural cooperation between both parties focuses on climate change issues, sustainability in the marine sector, environmental protection, education, etc.

In enhancing future cooperation, Norway and ASEAN must also address challenges in economic integration, climate change agenda, green economy, air and sea pollution, human rights enforcement, illicit trade, geopolitical tensions, and political conflicts in Myanmar.

“The ongoing programs include establishing the ASEAN Master in Sustainability Management, combating marine debris, developing clean energy, realizing peace and security, and empowering women,” said Ambassador Pettersen.

UGM Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Alumni, Prof. Paripurna Sugarda, said the ASEAN Master in Sustainability Management program embodies the commitment of ASEAN and Norway to deal with environmental conservation issues. According to him, sustainable management is crucial today. Global trade brings about not only prosperity but also climate and environmental crises.

“Profit should not be the only measure of performance. Our challenge is to ensure that future generations inherit an earth that is no worse off than the one we enjoy today,” said the Professor.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22335-mahasiswa-dari-8-negara-asean-ikut-program-master-manajemen-berkelanjutan-di-ugm

One of the seven units of Gadjah Mada Airport Transporter electric (GATe), developed by the UGM Faculty of Engineering, has been handed over to Angkasa Pura I, a state-owned enterprise responsible for airport management in central and eastern Indonesia. According to the plan, the unit will operate at Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) for air passenger transport.

“There will be seven units in total. For today, we symbolically hand over the first completed unit to Angkasa Pura I for use at YIA,” said GATe development team leader Dr. Moh. Arif Wibisono, Friday (4/3).

GATe, whose development kicked off in 2019, is a 25 km/h electric airport vehicle that can carry up to 6 people in one go. The vehicle’s built-in lithium battery can cover a distance of 70 km and takes about 6-7 hours to reach a full charge. The development team has also used local components in manufacturing the vehicle.

“We can produce almost everything ourselves, but it’s still on a prototype scale. We need a few more steps to ensure reliability, which is currently around 50-60%,” said Wibisono.

The GATe prototype has been tested in several locations, including the UGM campus, YIA, and Borobudur Temple, with various performance measurements. The event on Friday also featured the handover document signing by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Selo, and the General Manager of Angkasa Pura I, Agus Pandu Purnama.

“Now, we are entering the year of finalization. We will make some improvements in the future based on customer feedback,” he said.

In his remarks, UGM Rector Prof. Panut Mulyono expressed his appreciation to Angkasa Pura I. Apart from YIA, he hopes GATe can also serve air passengers at other airports across Indonesia.

“It is such an honor for UGM, as well as a test for the product that has been made. Quality improvement will be conducted regularly to make sure that the vehicle is always at its finest,” said the Rector.

Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/22329-mobil-listrik-buatan-ugm-akan-digunakan-di-bandara-yia