(From the left) Dr. Adhitya Sudiarno ST MT, Sangki Purabaya, Alif Aditya, Rozan Putra won two awards at the Taiwan Innotech Expo

ITS Campus, ITS News – A proud achievement was once again achieved by the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) in an international event. This time, ITS student representatives on behalf of Sangki Purabaya, Rozan Putra, and Alif Aditya innovated the Hand-Diffable Ergonomic Foot Keyboard (DEFBoard). They also won two awards in Taiwan Innotech Expo, Taiwan on Saturday (28/9).

Sangki as the team leader said that DEFBoard would make it easier for people with disabilities to work as clerks or typists. Besides, DEFBoard carries an ergonomics base where the keyboard has a size adjusted to the dimensions of human feet. The arrangement of the letters on the keyboard has also been arranged to make it easier for people with disabilities. The font arrangement used is a modification of the Colemak Layout instead of the QWERTY layout. “It is very effective to use in Indonesian text because the arrangement of the letters that are often used are close,” he murmured.

DEFBoard has an outer body made of acrylic that is coated with rubber. While the button on the keyboard printed using 3D printing to adjust the dimensions of the user’s body. “This is because it is difficult to find channels that can customize injection molding,” Sangki explained.

To be able to use the keyboard, users only need to connect the Universal Serial Bus (USB) keyboard cable to the computer or laptop. “The way it works is simple. Just like a regular keyboard,” he added.

DEFBoard on display at Hall 1 Taipei World Trade Center.

The innovation which was guided directly by the ITS Industrial Engineering Department Lecturers, Dr. Adithya Sudiarno, was expected to help people with disabilities to have the same opportunities in doing work. “DEFboard won a Gold Medal and Special Award from the Polish Invention Association,” he said.

In this competition, Sangki Purabaya claimed to be proud and grateful for the achievements they achieved. Sangki and the team must face the atmosphere of very competitive competition. It was a challenge for those who are participated for the first time. “Taiwan Innotech Expo was participated by all individuals and companies and we were able to bring home a medal,” he said.

Sangki advised for anyone who wants to work and produce achievements that they do not have to be afraid of the problems that will come. “Try it first, because from there you start moving,” he concluded. (ion25/qin/gayatri)

Sangki Purabaya and the team were presenting DEFBoard to the three judges at Taiwan Innotech Expo