Electrical Engineering students from Diponegoro University (UNDIP) have once again achieved outstanding success on the international stage. The team, consisting of Muhammad Faizul Kirom, Septhian Kallolangi, Helmi Yusuf, Veril Varian Jaya Kusuma, Mega Adinda, Hasna Fadhilah Aulia, and Nicholas David Marsen, successfully won a Gold Award and a Special Award from the Innovation and Technology Managers Association of Malaysia at the Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE), held April 9–14, 2026, at the World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur.
This success is the result of hard work, team collaboration, and the guidance of the supervising lecturers, M. Ariyanto, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., and Laily Asna Safira, S.T., M.T., who played a crucial role in the innovation development process through to the international competition stage.
The Malaysia Technology Expo is one of Asia’s leading technology and innovation exhibitions, held annually by the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation. This event serves as a platform for innovators from various countries to present technological solutions addressing global challenges.
In the competition, the UNDIP team introduced an innovation called Roach Detect, a biohybrid system that combines living organisms—specifically cockroaches—with electronic technology to support search and rescue operations. This innovation is specifically designed to detect victims in disaster areas that are narrow and difficult to access using conventional technology.
Roach Detect is equipped with thermal sensors, an ESP32-based control system, and real-time communication capabilities, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of victim search operations under extreme conditions, such as beneath building rubble. This innovation serves as a solution to the limitations of conventional search technology, given that every second is critical in disaster victim rescue efforts.
This achievement is a source of pride not only for the team but also for the UNDIP Department of Electrical Engineering as a whole. It is hoped that this accomplishment will motivate other students to continue innovating and contributing to the development of technology that benefits the broader community, both nationally and internationally.