Perpetual faculty, students develop device that can detect tsunamis, storm surges

Several faculty members and students of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) in Las Piñas developed a device that can detect tsunamis and storm surges.

As seen in Martin Javier's report on "24 Oras," Monday, the device, called Project DAGAT—short for Deploying Acoustic Guardians: Advanced Tsunami Detection—is a first-of-its-kind technology in the country that was two and a half years in the making.

The project was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

"Ang una naming napiling project is disaster mitigation, which is tsunami detection," Project DAGAT project leader Dr. Lorena Ilagan said.

"May impact kasi sa akin 'yung nangyari sa Yolanda catastrophe so talagang noong panahon na 'yon nag-isip ako ng maitutulong natin sa community," she added. 

The device is composed of a tsunameter and two sensor units equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities.

"May tinatawag tayong tsunameter. Ito 'yung pinakamain platform or main body. Inside that mayroon tayong dalawang sensor, pressure at the accelerometer. Then 'yung dalawang sensor na 'yan may capability din for artificial intelligence," Ilagan said.

The data transmitted in the tsunameter is shared in real time to the database using nano-satellite and terrestrial communication systems.

Project DAGAT is currently in its first phase and has been deployed in Cavite for pilot testing. While the device is designed to be submerged 100 meters deep and two kilometers offshore, it was initially tested at a depth of only 30 meters. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News