Pusan National University’s Innovation Center for Engineering Education successfully completed Creativity Station 2026, a Korea–Indonesia global engineering problem-solving project held in Surabaya, Indonesia, from August 12 to 21.

Marking its 15th anniversary, this year’s program brought together 30 students: eight from Pusan National University, Pukyong National University, and Tongmyong University and others in Korea, and 22 from Telkom University, PENS, and POLIWANGI in Indonesia. Working in international teams, students identified challenges that local communities are facing and developed tailored solutions using engineering technologies.

Participants visited local workplaces—including a jamu production site, traditional spice-processing facilities, a tempeh factory, a cassava-processing facility, and a sheep farm—where they spoke directly with local residents and workers to better understand the challenges they faced. The teams then applied AI, IoT, microcontrollers, and smart control technologies to develop working prototypes designed for real-world use.

Key prototypes included an NFC-based animal identification and AI-powered thermal imaging livestock health monitoring system, an AI voice-controlled automated medicinal-herb washing and rotary-blade cutting system, and an enclosed motorized drum mixing system with dust extraction and timer control.

By developing solutions around actual needs identified at local worksites, the students helped make day-to-day operations easier and improve productivity for small-scale local businesses, while gaining hands-on experience in international teamwork and engineering problem-solving.

Photo: Activities from Creativity Station 2026.