The TENPINA VR research team after guiding virtual reality (VR) users at the opening of the East Java BPBD Disaster Education Park

 ITS Campus, ITS News — Supporting anticipation of disasters and continuing to educate the public, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) through the Disaster Mitigation and Climate Change Research Center (Puslit) in collaboration with the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) launched TENPINA Virtual Reality (VR), Thursday (12/19). This very useful tool for educating the public is available at the East Java (Jatim) BPBD Disaster Education Park.

TENPINA VR development team coordinator Siska Arifiani SKom MKom said that the creation of VR, which in Indonesian is often referred to as virtual reality, is intended to support disaster mitigation strategies by BPBD Jatim. The plan is that the technology that presents this virtual environment can be used directly by visitors to the BPBD Jatim Disaster Education Park, both from students and the general public.

One of the ITS student teams giving a tutorial to one of the visitors to TENPINA VR

In this case, Siska explained that the tool resulting from the collaboration of ITS academics can show the real conditions of a disaster. The product, which was designed within a period of one month, presents the results of a 3D depiction of assets from both the application and interior sides. “Alhamdulillah, everything was designed directly by students and lecturers of this Hero Campus,” he said.

Not only providing a simulation of one disaster, this device that provides education to the public also presents three types of disaster simulations. Namely, floods, fires, and earthquakes. “We present everything in the form of real effects, both before (mitigation), immediately, and after the disaster,” he said.

The East Java BPBD Team teaches the use of TENPINA VR to a disabled visitor

He further said that this virtual engineering technology was also developed in the form of visual effects with three main scenarios presented, namely, home, office, and factory areas. “Everything we choose is directly adjusted to the conditions in the field. We will also develop it in school and hospital areas,” explained the lecturer from the ITS Informatics Engineering Department.

Siska continued, this innovation is also a collaboration between lecturers from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (PWK) Prof. Adjie Pamungkas ST MDevPlg PhD as the Head of the MKPI ITS Research Center. In addition, as the person in charge of developing the 3D model, there is a lecturer from the Interior Design Department Okta Putra Setio Ardianto ST MT who led the design of VR design assets from the start.

Not only that, there is also a lecturer from the Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering (DTSI) Retno Widyaningrum ST MT MBA PhD who helped develop disaster evacuation scenarios at each level. Next, there is a team from the Informatics Engineering Department that realizes the virtual environment for the application. “Moreover, all these achievements are also inseparable from the assistance of students from each department for their extraordinary dedication,” he added.

One of the visitors to TENPINA VR when trying out the flood disaster simulation feature

Appreciating the latest innovation of this technology campus, Acting Governor of East Java Adhy Karyono said, TENPINA VR can improve the disaster management system in East Java. Moreover, how the application of this disaster simulation technology is very necessary to form early preparedness. “We really welcome the development of this one technology,” he said in appreciation. (ITS PUBLIC RELATIONS)

Reporter: Mifda Khoirotul Azma