Caring for the Elderly: UMM Students Create Elderly-Friendly Hydraulic Toilet Seat

Author : Humas | Saturday, October 26, 2024 09:04 WIB

UMM Students Achieve "Best Functionality" Award at the 13th Annual National Engineering Design Competition (LNT-RBM) in Ternate (Photo : Special)

Driven by a concern for elderly safety, students from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) have created an innovative hydraulic-friendly sitting toilet for the elderly. Remarkably, this innovation won the "Best Functionality" award at the 13th Annual National Engineering Design Competition (LNT-RBM) held in Ternate, North Maluku, earlier this October. Stemming from concerns about elderly mobility in bathrooms, Ahmad Khaidir Ali and his team focused on both functionality and durability in their design.

Ahmad, as he is fondly called, said he came up with the idea after conducting research with his team at the Hizbul Wathan Elderly Shelter in Malang. Many elderly individuals reported difficulties in the bathroom, which inspired the design of this hydraulic sitting toilet to enhance accessibility. The hydraulic mechanism assists elderly users with sitting down and standing up.

“Most complaints we encountered involved difficulty using toilets. As we know, hydraulic technology is widely used to ease everyday tasks. Therefore, we incorporated hydraulic functionality as a key aspect of our design,” he explained.

In addition to the hydraulic functionality, Ahmad emphasized the importance of using corrosion-resistant materials in the design. Corrosion resistance was a primary factor in material selection, particularly against environmental factors such as water and oxygen exposure that can cause metal to corrode.

Interestingly, this toilet is also beneficial for individuals with health issues or special needs. Ahmad and his team were thrilled to represent UMM in such a prestigious competition, despite the challenges they faced. He shared that some of these challenges included precise calculations regarding structural composition, material durability, and costs.

“Calculating the structural composition, selecting materials, and estimating durability posed challenges for us. Fortunately, UMM provided full support for our innovation. Under the guidance of Ms. Iis Siti Aisyah, we finalized a feasible design. Regular socialization with the elderly is also essential to ensure they can use it optimally,” he added.

Finally, Ahmad hopes his design can benefit the general public. He expressed his admiration for the fresh ideas from other young innovators at the competition, saying it proves that youth-driven ideas should be encouraged to advance the nation. “The designs from student participants across campuses were very fresh and impressive. I also hope that other Mechanical Engineering students at UMM can create even more innovative and beneficial tools for the broader community,” he advised. (wil/fajr)

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