ITS Campus, ITS News — The risk of fire due to electrical installation failures remains one of the biggest threats to residential and industrial buildings. To address this challenge, a team of students from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) has successfully developed an innovative project called Hi-VITS, a smart mitigation system capable of detecting potential electrical fires early through real-time network monitoring .
Hi-VITS is designed as a complementary technology to conventional electrical safety systems such as Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs). Unlike standard safety devices, which generally only respond to overcurrent or short circuits, this system can detect arc conditions, which often trigger fires but are difficult to identify with conventional devices.
Hi-VITS team member Ananda Aullia Nayaka explained that the system her team developed prioritizes an early warning mechanism before automatically cutting off power. This allows users to check and take preventative measures beforehand. “Our system doesn’t immediately cut off the power, but rather provides a warning to users,” explained the student, known as Nanda.
According to the Information Systems student in the ITS Digital Innovation Study Program, this mechanism allows users to maintain their activities without experiencing sudden power outages. This step also helps reduce potential economic losses that could arise from disrupted building operations. “Automatic power cuts are only implemented when conditions reach a dangerous level,” he said.
Hi-VITS’ development, not only prioritizes safety, but also considers user needs in terms of operational and ease of implementation. Therefore, the team strives to deliver technology that provides enhanced protection without disrupting daily activities in residential and industrial buildings.
Hi-VITS Team Leader Khoirul Anam added that technology development also considers community needs and potential applications in the field. He believes these aspects are crucial for innovations to deliver tangible benefits. “Product and market validation are crucial for innovations to be truly accepted and widely used,” said the ITS Electrical Engineering Master’s student .
The development of Hi-VITS involved a multidisciplinary collaboration of ITS students consisting of Khoirul Anam, Abdullah Alfin Holis, Marcello Akrama Putra, and Akmal Zuhdi from the Department of Electrical Engineering ; Alzena Cheiryl Violney from the Department of Industrial Engineering and Systems ; and Ananda Aullia Nayaka from the Digital Innovation Study Program of the ITS Department of Information Systems . In addition to developing the technology, this team also developed a business model and commercialization strategy to increase the opportunities for product application in industry.
The innovative potential developed by the ITS team was recognized at the recent Startup World Cup Regional Malang event. Through their Hi-VITS innovation, the ITS student team emerged as regional champions and earned a spot at the international competition in Silicon Valley, United States, this coming November.
The Hi-VITS innovation also demonstrates ITS’s commitment to providing technological solutions that address community needs while improving infrastructure safety. This technological development also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly point 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and point 11 on Sustainable Cities and Settlements by strengthening smarter and more preventative electrical safety systems. (ITS Public Relations)
Reporter: Iffah Najwa Ulya
Translator: Devinka Mutianeira