Fajar Sidik Abdullah Kelana, an alumnus of UGM and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, has been named one of the top 20 winners of the International James Dyson Award.
Fajar was recognized for his innovation Banoo, an integrated aquaculture solution that can produce 40-micron bubbles in water and increase dissolved oxygen (DO) up to 10 ppm.
“The increase of dissolved oxygen up to 10 ppm has been scientifically proven to increase fish growth and yields of fish farmers in Indonesia 78% more than existing pond aeration equipment in the market,” said the young innovator on Friday (6/1). “This advantage will increase the income, living standard, and welfare of fish farmers in Indonesia.”
Banoo’s technology consists of a microbubble aerator (Mycrofish), an IoT water quality sensor (Fisko), and a mobile app (the Banoo app). The energy-efficient aerator produces micro-sized bubbles to increase dissolved oxygen and improve water quality.
The aerator is automated by an IoT sensor that collects water quality data and provides fish farmers with real-time pond conditions and water parameters. The aerator will automatically turn on when the sensor reads low dissolved oxygen.
“Conversely, when the oxygen in the water is high enough, the sensor will signal the device to stop operating. These features aim to save electrical energy consumption,” said Fajar.
He added that fish farmers who had installed Banoo could use their smartphones to access and monitor their ponds. His team is working to enable solar panels on the Banoo for electricity as a renewable and environmentally friendly energy source.
Born into a low-income family of farmers in Sragen, Central Java, Fajar admits that his background has motivated him to develop Banoo. He believes that the innovations and technologies he has developed are beneficial for small communities.
“I never expected to be selected and awarded as one of the world’s top 20 young engineers and innovators at the James Dyson Award. I am very proud indeed,” said Fajar.
The James Dyson Award is for young design engineers with ideas that solve real-world problems. It is run by James Dyson’s charitable arm, the James Dyson Foundation.
Sir James Dyson is a successful British inventor and founder of the Singapore-based multinational technology company Dyson Ltd. In 2022, the Sunday Times Rich List 2022 listed him as the second richest person in the UK.
Visit https://banoo.id or @banoo.id on Instagram to learn more about Banoo.
Author: Agung Nugroho