UNAIR NEWS A team of 51动漫 () students earned international recognition by winning a Gold Medal at the World Invention Competition and Exhibition (WICE) 2025 Offline Competition held at SEGi University in Damansara, Malaysia.
The group was made up of five students: Alia Dewi Kartika, Nithasya Rahma, and Dinar Rheina Rassendria from Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), and Arfandi Qurrata檃in and Doohan Hadinata Tedja from Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM). Doohan, from the class of 2024, was the youngest member, while the others are from the class of 2022. They were UNAIR檚 sole representatives at the competition.
Innovation: CTS detection device
The team檚 winning project was PURE-it, an early detection device for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) that uses electromyography (EMG) signals. The device integrates machine learning to improve diagnostic accuracy. The students said the innovation was designed to help the public detect CTS more quickly, conveniently, and affordably, serving as a preventive tool before the condition worsens.
Journey to success
The project began with casual discussions between students from different programs, who saw the potential for combining biomedical engineering and artificial intelligence. From there, they developed their idea, built a prototype, and prepared reports and presentations. The toughest challenge came just a week before the competition, when the prototype was still incomplete. Through communication, teamwork, and determination, the group managed to finish their project on time.
Team representative Alia Dewi Kartika called the experience unforgettable. 淎t first, we just wanted to try something outside our comfort zone, but it ended up taking us to the international stage. Meeting participants from around the world and learning from their innovations was an invaluable experience, she said.
International competition atmosphere
During WICE 2025, the UNAIR team presented PURE-it to an international panel of judges. They outlined their research concept, explained how the prototype worked, and discussed future development opportunities. The event also allowed them to exchange ideas with participants from other countries.
For the team, the competition was about more than winning. It was also about courage and taking chances. 淛oining an international competition isn檛 about being the smartest攊t檚 about being brave enough to try. Don檛 wait until everything is perfect; just take the step. Every small effort can be the beginning of something big, Kartika concluded.
Author: Dara Devinta Faradhilla
Editor: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
