Testing the game on users at the Foundation for the Development of Disabled Children (YPAC) Surabaya

ITS Campus, ITS News — Addressing concerns over the limited availability of physiotherapy facilities for people with disabilities, a team of doctoral students from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has developed an innovative deep learning-integrated camera as an engaging hand therapy tool. This technological advancement has earned the ITS student team a grant from the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program.

Endah Suryawati Ningrum ST MT, the Project Leader, explained that EPICS is a grant program organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Through this program, each selected team receives funding for technology development, professional training sessions, and other non-profit support. “However, our team from ITS only utilized the funding facility,” Endah clarified.

With this grant, Endah and her team from the Computer Vision Laboratory of the Department of Electrical Engineering at ITS have successfully developed technology called Smart Mobile Inclusive Learning (SMILE). Endah explained that SMILE is a camera integrated with deep learning and digital games, designed as an attractive hand therapy medium. “It also serves as an enjoyable inclusive learning medium during therapy,” she added.

A team of ITS Electrical Engineering doctoral students while monitoring the SMILE system

Further, Endah elaborated that the SMILE system is divided into a monitoring information system and hand therapy games. The monitoring system is used by patient guardians and therapists to track therapy history, while the hand therapy game development system focuses on hand mark detection for game control using computer vision technology. The game involves moving the hand to place fruit into a basket.

Regarding the use of the grant funds, Endah, a lecturer at the State Electronics Polytechnic Surabaya (PENS), disclosed that the received funds were used to meet the project’s needs, including the purchase of mini computers, monitors, other electronic devices, and hosting and domain system costs.

Endah revealed that the project, in collaboration with the Surabaya Disabled Children’s Foundation (YPAC), has been tested several times and received positive feedback from therapists and patients. Therapists reported that patients who were previously reluctant to raise their hands became more enthusiastic about lifting their hands and participating in therapy. “This certainly enhances the progress of the therapy patients,” Endah noted.

A team of ITS Electrical Engineering doctoral students trying out a hand therapy game that has been developed

With these results, the team led by Endah, along with Gede Aditra Pradnyana SKom MKom, Fayruz Rahma ST MEng, Farah Zakiyah Rahmanti SST MT, and Moch Iskandar Riansyah SST MT, is optimistic that the technology developed over the past year will continue to grow rapidly. Endah stated that the team will continue to explore various features to perfect this technology, aiming to reach more therapy patients with different conditions.

Finally, Endah expressed that the project, supervised by Prof. Mauridhi Hery Purnomo and Dr. Eko Mulyanto ST MT, is a noble initiative bridging campus technology with global physiotherapy issues. She hopes that this research collaboration will continue through other grant schemes, facilitating the realization of well-designed ideas. “To achieve greater benefits for the society in need,” Endah concluded. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Shafa Annisa Ramadhani