ITB Students Create IoT-Based Solution for Early Warning of High Waves
By Mely Anggrini - Mahasiswa Meteorologi, 2022
Editor M. Naufal Hafizh, S.S.
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Demonstrating innovation in disaster mitigation in Indonesia, a team of students from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) secured First Place in the 2025 National Essay Competition for Meteorology Day, organized by the Meteorology Student Association of IPB University (Himagreto IPB).
The ITB team, consisting of Shendi Moses Ginting and Azkia Nayla from Meteorology, as well as Syalom Chrismas Zabeth Harry Padang from Civil Engineering, presented an idea titled “SCOUT-Buoy (Smart Coastal Buoy): An IoT Innovation for High Wave Prediction as an Effort to Strengthen Early Warning Systems through Visual Indicator Warning Boards to Support Disaster Mitigation in Coastal Areas.”
The idea leverages Internet of Things (IoT) technology to detect and predict high waves using sensors installed on buoys placed in coastal waters. The collected data is transmitted to an early warning system and displayed via a Smart Warning Board in coastal areas. This system is designed to improve community preparedness in facing high waves and tsunami threats.
The team began their competition journey by exploring the subtheme related to IoT in disaster mitigation, then designing an innovation with real-world applicability. After an intense brainstorming process, they developed the idea of wave height sensors installed on buoys and added the concept of a Smart Warning Board to bring the system closer to local communities.
The competition featured 47 teams from various universities across Indonesia. According to Azkia, the most challenging stage of the competition was the ideation process.
"The elaboration of an essay heavily depends on a deep understanding of the problem’s background and how the proposed innovation can offer a real solution," Azkia said.
Despite feeling slightly intimidated as first-year students, the team remained confident in their abilities and relied on a strong teamwork strategy.
One of the aspects that makes this idea stand out compared to other teams is the concept of the Smart Warning Board, which provides real-time visual information to coastal communities. According to Moses, this idea has great potential for further development into a broader early warning system in Indonesia.
Regarding their strategy, Moses mentioned that there was no special strategy other than discipline in managing time and presenting ideas in a systematic and engaging written format. The team's main focus was to ensure that the idea they proposed could be realized with the available technology. Moses emphasized the importance of courage in communicating ideas and applying the knowledge they had learned.
“Students are a component of society that undergoes higher education, choosing to learn more. It would be a shame if what we learn cannot be applied, communicated, and demonstrated to the outside world. So, I hope every student, at any level, can be more courageous in communicating all the ideas in their heads,” said Moses.
With this victory, Moses and the team hope that the SCOUT-Buoy concept can continue to be developed and become a concrete step in strengthening disaster early warning systems in Indonesia.
Reporter: Mely Anggrini (Meteorologi, 2022)
Translator: Indira Akmalia Hendri
