Student wins award for sweat-based monitoring device

A student from the Faculty of Medicine, Tiffney Tyara Setyoko, has won first place in the national outstanding student selection programme (Pilmapres) for undergraduates after presenting an early screening technology for the severity of infectious diseases marked by fever. Tiffney stated that the ‘Smart Febrile Patch’, a non-invasive wearable sensor or sweat-based health monitoring device, is designed to assist in the early screening of the severity of infectious diseases characterised by fever. The idea stemmed from a real problem in society, namely that fever is one of the early symptoms of various infectious diseases, but the public often lacks simple, objective parameters to know when a condition requires further medical attention. The Smart Febrile Patch is designed to measure physiological biomarkers that can help provide initial information regarding the body’s inflammatory response and physiological condition. ‘I hope that in time, this technology can help the public make earlier decisions to seek medical help while reducing the risk of delayed treatment and irrational antibiotic use,’ Tiffney said. From hundreds of students who participated in the selection process across 17 LLDIKTI regions, 60 students advanced to the national level, and 19 finalists from various Indonesian universities were ultimately selected. The event was organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia. During the final stage, which took place from 4 to 7 August 2026, participants were assessed not only on academic achievement but also on outstanding accomplishments, creative and innovative ideas, analytical skills, leadership, communication, general knowledge, presentations, interviews, and English language proficiency. Prof. Dr. Eka, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at UPH, said that Tiffney’s achievement is worthy of gratitude not merely for the ranking attained, but because it demonstrates a direction for medical education that increasingly connects science with research, innovation, and the real needs of society. ‘We are very grateful and proud of Tiffney’s achievement. However, for us, what is more important than the award is the process of shaping a student. Medical education must not only produce students who master medical science. We want to shape future doctors who are able to think critically, conduct research, innovate, communicate, lead, have integrity, and use all these abilities to serve the community,’ said Prof. Dr. Eka. According to him, Tiffney’s success also reflects the importance of an academic environment that gives students the opportunity to grow beyond the lecture hall. ‘Tiffney’s idea was born from the intersection of medical science, research, technology, and real health problems faced by the community. This is what we want to continue developing: students who not only learn about diseases and treatments, but learn to see problems, ask questions, research, and find solutions,’ he said.