 |
| UMM Student Team Innovate a Prototype for Earthquake Victim Rescue (Photo : Special) |
Continuum arm robot or often referred to as snake arm robot due to its snake-like movement. In general, Continuum arm robot is a tool that has joint segments with unlimited degrees of freedom. Therefore, the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) Student Team innovated to utilize the function of the tool by creating a prototype for evacuating the search for earthquake victims.
The students behind this innovation are Almas Kurnia Alim, Alvinanda Dheta Attalariq, and Muhammad Rafi Rizq Sandy, all from the Mechanical Engineering Program at the Faculty of Engineering (FT) UMM. Muhammad Rafi Rizq Sandy revealed that the robot is designed to reach narrow gaps under the ruins of buildings during an earthquake..
Considering that Indonesia is one of the areas included in the Ring of Fire. Generally, this category of region is surrounded by volcanic mountains and tectonic plates. Thus, there is a high chance of natural disasters such as earthquakes.
Rafi explained that when a disaster such as an earthquake occurs, rapid evacuation is a very important effort to make. This is none other than to maximize the rescue of the injured, as well as minimize the percentage of death tolls.
“The tool is operated to enter the narrow cracks of the ruins that are difficult to reach by humans. With this tool, we hope to increase the survival chance of victims during earthquake disasters who are buried under the rubble of buildings or places that can be reached by the tool,” he explained.
Rafi added that the tool features a camera and flashlight to identify the condition and location of the survivors. Interestingly, future tools will also be equipped with other auxiliary features, such as communication devices, oxygen hoses, and food hoses to support the life chances of the victims.
“The communication tool feature is set to identify whether the victim is still able to communicate or not. Then, the oxygen hose functions as a temporary supply of oxygen to the victim. Meanwhile, food in the form of gel to facilitate consumption by victims will be channeled through another hose,” he added.
Read more: Mahasiswa UMM Jadikan Matematika Menyenangkan dengan Lomba Game Ubuntu Linux
Meanwhile, Dr. Ir. Suwarsono. MT as the lecturer of the student group said that in the future, this robot will move exactly like a snake. And from the prototype, it must be further developed to the actual size.
“For now, we are focused on studying the mechanism only, in the future we will produce the mechanism and extend it to approximately 15-20 meters,” he said.
Finally, he hopes that the snake arm robot prototype can soon be realized in real size and will soon be inaugurated and can be operated optimally. Later, officers and the public can evacuate earthquake victims faster and more effectively. (Din/Faq/Fajr)
