UGM Students Develop AI-Based Early Detection Devices For Stunting

Five Gadjah Mada University (UGM) students developed an artificial intelligence-based stunting early detection tool (AI) called the "electronic stunting detection system" (ANTARA/HO-UGM)

YOGYAKARTA - Five Gadjah Mada University (UGM) students developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based stunting early detection tool or artificial intelligence called the electronic stunting detection system (ESDS).

Head of the AAGde ESDS Development Team Yogi Pramana said the detection tool was designed to be integrated with information systems and smartphone applications.

"ESDS equipment based on artificial intelligence is designed to save time and minimize measurement errors due to human error factors that still use measuring tools conventionally," Yogi said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, November 20.

He explained that artificial intelligence technology devices can make measurements of the baby's weight and length quickly.

Not only that, the ESDS tool also stores measurement results automatically as data in an integrated application.

Thus, the growth and development of babies can be monitored regularly to detect early symptoms of stunting in minors with the help of machine learning.

Students of the International Undergraduate Program (IUP) Electronics and UGM Instrumentation developed ESDS together with four colleagues namely Haidar Muhammad Zidan (IUP Electronics and Instrumentation), Faiz Ihza Permana (Teknik Biomedis), Ichsan Dwinanda Handika (Teknik Biomedis), and Salsa Novalimah (Health Nutrition).

Yogi said the development of ESDS stems from concerns about the high number of stunting cases in the country.

According to him, early detection of stunting in children under the age of two has been carried out by many health cadres through posyandu.

However, he said, there are still frequent errors related to accuracy in measuring and evaluating child growth due to the low skills of cadres and gauge tools that do not comply with anthropometric standards.

When using manual-based dacin scales with seesaw models, according to him, it is often in the process of measuring inaccurate because babies feel uncomfortable and move a lot.

"In addition, the scale calibration process is often carried out by adding pebbles that are inserted into plastic and then tied to the tip of the dacin scale so that the scales are right at zero point so that they are vulnerable to the tool to make measurement errors," said Yogi.

ESDS, he said, is integrated with the information system available in the form of a website application and mobile application that displays information on children's growth and development, nutritional status in babies of two years, indications of stunting or not in children, simple education related to children's nutrition, and displays a history of children's growth and development.

Digital logging methods can speed up data updating processes with real-time central databases.

"This tool is integrated with webs and applications to control measuring instruments for cadres who carry out anthropometry and display pages for baby registration," said Yogi.

Another student, Salsa, said that the presence of ESDS will make it easier for users to detect stunting early and self-monitoring for parents who have a two-year-old baby.

He hopes that ESDS will be able to help the government accelerate the reduction in stunting prevalence in Indonesia to 14 percent.

"From the Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey in 2022, the prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years old is still high at 21.6 percent. It is hoped that the presence of this tool can help early detection of stunting so as to accelerate the reduction of stunting in the country," said Salsa.