Minister commends ITB team for inventing `butterfly` software design

Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar has expressed appreciation to the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)`s Antarmuka team for their success in Imagine Cup held in Paris, France, early July, and invited the team`s members to make a presentation at his office on Monday (July 28).

Minister Witoelar and the president director of PT Microsoft Indonesia, Tony Chen, are expected to be present at the team`s planned presentation on its software design called `Butterfly`.

The `Antarmuka` team, consisting of four ITB students: Arief Widhiyasa, Dimas Yusuf Danurwenda, Ella Madanella Dwi Mustika and Erga Ghaniya, has won an award for Rural Innovation category , for inventing `Butterfly` software design which can report environmental damage even in locations inaccessible by normal communication or transportation.

The Rural Innovation Achievement Award, sponsored by Microsoft`s Unlimited Potential Group, is designed to recognize the software solution that contributes toward a more sustainable environment and best help promote the social and economic growth of underserved populations in developing countries and regions whilst enabling their citizens better meet their basic needs.

The finalists competing for the Imagine Cup 2008`s Rural Innovation Award were from Colombia, Egypt, South Africa, Indonesia and India.

Founded by Microsoft in 2003, the Imagine Cup challenges students to imagine a world where their own ideas could shape solutions to real-world problems. The theme of the 2008 Imagine Cup being `Imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment.`

The Imagine Cup 2008 World Finals comprised elements of 370 finalists, 124 teams, 61 countries and USD240,000 in prize money.

The software design category saw winners emerging from Australia with Slovakia and Hungary following close behind in second and third places respectively whilst the short film category was won by Korea, with Mexico taking second place and Canada coming in third.

Winners of other categories included Singapore for Embedded Development, Brazil for Game Development, Russia for "Project Hoshimi" Programming Battle, France for IT Challenge, Ukraine for Algorithm and USA for both Photography and Interface Design.

source: Antara | July 2008

Kolumbia dan Ekuador menjajaki pesawat produk PT DI

Kolumbia dan Ekuador sedang melakukan penjajakan untuk membeli sebuah pesawat CN-235 Buatan PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI). Selama ini, Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN) tersebut telah menjual berbagai pesawat udara serta helikopternya kepada sejumlah negara, seperti Uni Emirat Arab (UAE), Malaysia, Korea Selatan, serta Pakistan.

Sementara itu, Direktur Aero Structure PT DI, Budiman Saleh, mengatakan bahwa Perusahaan Penerbangan Turki (TAI) sedang menjalin kerja sama untuk mengembangkan Pesawat Udara Patroli Maritim atau Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), karena PT DI sudah memiliki pengalaman untuk membuat pesawat patroli ini. TNI-AU baru-baru ini telah menerima sebuah MPA dari PT DI yang diserahkan melalui Departemen Pertahanan.

"Turki telah minta agar kepada mereka dikirim MPA," kata Budiman sambil menambahkan bahwa Turki menginginkan supaya pada MPA tersebut dipasang berbagai peralatan canggih seperti sonar, yanbg biaa dipakai untuk mendeteksi adanya kapal selam.

Sementara itu PT DI telah mendapat pesanan dari Airbus untuk membuat sayap bagi pesawat A-389 sebanyak 600 buah. "Kami mendapat pesanan untuk membuat 600 sayap kiri dan kanan pesawat Airbus A-380," kata Budiman. Ia menyebutkan, kerja sama ini berlangsung selama 10 tahun.

Ia mengatakan pula bahwa Malaysia, Korea Selatan, Pakistan, serta UAE telah membeli pesawat untuk para kepala negara atau kepala pemerintahan mereka masing-masing. "Namun, sayangnya, pemerintah Indonesia justru belum membeli pesawat kepresidenan dari kami," kata Budiman sambil tersenyum.

source: Antara | 16 June 2008