ITS Campus, ITS News – Once more, Antasena Team of  Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has succeded to bring innovation in automotive field by utilizing organics material. This time, their innovation is presented as an enviromentally friendly steering wheel that is expected to reduce numbers of traffic accidents in Indonesia.

The team is composed of Ahmad Fahmi Prakoso (of the Department of Materials Engineering and Metallurgy 2018), Ibrahim Fatahillah Hizbul Islam (of the Department of Materials Engineering and Metallurgy 2018), Gilang Maulana Alif (of the Department of Industrial Chemical Engineering 2018), Humaiera (of the Department of Materials Engineering and Metallurgy 2019), and Millads Anwary Fandiaz (of the Department of Engineering Physics 2019). The five of them have succeeded in bringing Antasena BICOSW, an innovative steering wheel made from environmentally friendly composites.

Ahmad Fahmi Prakoso, the Team Leader, said that the steering wheel designed by the team is made of organic waste such as Asian date mussel shells and oil palm bunches. They choose this material due to its abundance in Indonesia. But, unfortunately, that abundance of materials is not effectively used and utilized.

Environmentally friendly steering wheel prototype made by ITS Antasena Team who won the Bronze Medal at I2ASPONot only that, this student who is often called Fahmi added, Asian date mussel shells and oil palm bunches were chosen because they contain Polylactic Acid (PLA), Chitin Nano-Fiber (ChNF), and Micro-Fiber Cellulose (MFC). The green composite material contained inside has good thermal and mechanical properties. This makes the steering wheel durable. “We have conducted analysis and simulation tests on the resistance of this material,” he added.

This student from Depok explained that the steering wheel made by his team is not only environmentally friendly but is also expected to reduce the number of traffic accidents in Indonesia since the wheels have an anti-sleep alarm system for drivers. Moreover, the alarm system uses an eye sensor in its working mechanism.

This class of 2018 student also mentioned that the alarm system will detect the driver when he starts to feel sleepy. Once detected, an alarm will sound a warning to the driver. “That way, this alarm system can keep the driver focused on driving,” he added.

This alumnus of SMA Negeri 1 Depok said that thanks to this innovation, the ITS Antasena Team received a Bronze Medal award at the International Applied Science Project Olympiad (I2ASPO) event, last December. Fahmi believes that his innovation is special because the benefits provided by this steering wheel are very useful for the community.

Fahmi hopes that his team’s innovation can be implemented and developed in Indonesia. Also, he also hopes that the ITS Antasena Team will not stop creating new innovations in the automotive sector, especially in making car parts made from environmentally friendly materials. “Hopefully we can continue to develop this steering wheel innovation and of course make other new innovations,” he said (dil/nadh/ITS Public Relations)

Members of the ITS Antasena Team who have succeeded in making environmentally friendly steering wheel innovations