IO, Yogyakarta – Three students of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Yogyakarta have developed products that can help hearing impaired drivers. The idea won second place in the 2019 Toyota Funcode Hackathon series, which was held at Candi Bentar, Jakarta, Sunday (3/11/2019).
“Hackathon” is a programming competition that invites Indonesian technology and information developers to create digital products that can provide solutions to problems in the automotive world to improve the driving experience for the community. Among them is safety when driving, reducing the frequency of accidents, and caring for vehicles.
Working for 24 hours straight, 70 selected teams succeeded in presenting extraordinary innovations that were able to amaze the jury. The finalists presented their work in front of the judges and an audience. Sulthan Farras Nanz (Management 2016), Antonius Yonanda (Information Technology 2016), and Aditya Laksana Suwandi (Information Technology) who developed “Defino” (Deaf Assistant of Toyota) won second place and were entitled to a prize of IDR 30 million.
“So, Defino is a system that will help Toyota drivers, especially those with hearing impairment, to communicate with passengers and monitor surrounding conditions while driving,” Farras detailed, as quoted by UGM Public Relations, Tuesday (11/5/2019).
Defino works by using a digital audio sensor to convert the sound of a vehicle or siren into a visual signal and vibration to alert a driver and expedite their response, in a car equipped with Visual Communication (VICO) features. This feature will provide an interactive communication experience through visualization on a tablet device installed in the car.
“With Defino, automotive manufacturers can proactively promote and increase the inclusion of transportation access and economic activity for people with disabilities,” he said. (*/est)