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

2015, Kereta Api supercepat masuk RI

KA supercepat itu diproyeksikan mampu melaju di atas 250 kilometer per jam dengan daya angkut minimal 18 ton. Targetnya, menurut Komisaris Utama PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) Soemino Eko Saputro, KA supercepat itu sudah bisa diluncurkan pada 2015. Jika mulus, KA supercepat itu bakal memperpendek waktu tempuh Jakarta-Surabaya. Perjalanan bisa dituntaskan dalam tempo tiga jam. Untuk jarak Jakarta-Bandung bisa dilahap dalam satu jam saja.

“Sarana itu akan menjadi andalan untuk mengalahkan transportasi udara,” kata Soemino kepada INILAH.COM di Jakarta, Minggu (23/3). Soemino menjelaskan, sebuah studi telah dilakukan oleh konsultan Prancis, Systra, yang menyebutkan di lintas utama Jawa sangat mungkin dioperasikan KA supercepat model TGV (Train A’Grande Vitesse buatan Prancis) dengan kecepatan hingga 360 kilometer per jam.

source: inilah.com

Indonesia launches rocket into space

Indonesian national space agency has successfully launched a rocket into space. It's the first step in a program designed to make Indonesia less dependant on other nations in the aeronautic field. Lapan kembali melakukan uji terbang roket hasil penelitian dan pengembangannya.

Setelah berhasil uji statik terhadap motor roket bertipe RX-320, Tim Peroketan Lapan melanjutkan dengan tahapan uji terbang pada Senin (19/05) di Stasiun Uji Terbang Pameungpeuk, Garut, Jawa Barat. Roket dengan tipe RX-3228.02.01 sebagai roket terbesar buatan Lapan selama ini, berhasil meluncur mulus. Keberhasilan ini sebagai tanda program pembuatan Roket Pengorbit Satelit memasuki tahap awal.