Lydia Anggraeni Kidarsa, Injecting Power into Children with Special Needs

From childhood he was confident. The way of thinking starts from the family.

KOMPAS/EDNA CAROLINE PATTISINA

Lydia Anggraeni Kidarsa

The Bandung Institute of Technology Boulevard route witnessed the figure of Lydia Anggraeni Kidarsa who often walked up and down the campus. His baby-face smiles quickly even though his steps are always slow because he has had spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) since childhood. SMA is a neuromuscular disorder that generally causes muscles to weaken and shrink progressively.

Despite physical limitations, especially facing the stairs of the ITB General Lecture Building every day without a lift, Lydia's values ​​exceed most of her friends. This is also in addition to a plethora of activities. In one semester, she was active in 11 places with dozens of activities, such as singing practice in the ITB Student Choir, being a committee member in the Physics Engineering Student Association and Blood Donor Family, teaching tutoring at the Student Church, being a church choir, as well as visiting sick people. "In that semester, my GPA was zero decimal point," said Lydia.

I learned from that kid. He can because he never stops.

His father wasn't angry. He just said, everyone must fail because everyone has limits. "I've been punished enough without being scolded," said Lydia, who later graduated from ITB Engineering Physics with a GPA of 3.08 in April 1998.

Lydia's parents raised their daughter, born on December 4, 1974, to be a confident individual. Since childhood, she aspired to become an engineer. At the age of eight, Lydia made a rocking chair for her doll using her first plywood saw. She also sewed her own Barbie clothes, learning from her mother who enjoyed sewing.

At the age of two, she did not run around like other children. The doctor then diagnosed Lydia, who is now a four-year-old high school student. There is a missing specific gene that affects muscle weakness. In Lydia's case, her thigh muscles are weak so she cannot easily walk, and even needs support to climb stairs.

However, from a young age, she had confidence in herself. Her way of thinking began with her family. Her small family world did not treat her differently, despite her special needs. As an adult, Lydia formed her own world with full confidence. Many friends provided encouragement, leading to more activities, more friends, and higher energy levels for Lydia. For her, high school did not limit her activities, it only made her arrive at a place later. "I think I'm too busy to feel inferior," she laughed.

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Being someone who has special needs actually gives him a purpose in life. Since childhood, he dreamed of being able to enable children with special needs to carry out normal activities. "When Lydia is older, Lydia will have a good wheelchair, can climb stairs, OK," said Lydia, who was in middle school at that time, to her neurologist. Decades later, this neurologist became Lydia's first customer who became an entrepreneur and biotechnical designer. He designs assistive devices, even parts of the appearance of children with special needs.

ARSIP ATHAA A NURHERMANDHIYA

Lydia Anggraeni Kidarsa among her colleagues.

While studying at the ITB Engineering Physics Department, Lydia made a braille printer that participated in the National Student Science Week (Pimnas). For his final project or thesis, he made "Walking Movement Analysis and Design of a Prototype of a Prosthetic Leg", namely a prosthetic leg provided with a driving motor. "At that time I already knew that one day I wanted to make a living from technologically solving problems for children with special needs," said Lydia.

Graduating in 1998, she continued her studies at the University of Surrey, England, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. She then worked in the field of information technology in Jakarta and Singapore for a year. She once made a wheelchair, but it was rejected by children because it looked ugly. Lydia realized that she had to be able to combine art and technology in order to create assistive devices that would be accepted by children.

The eldest of three siblings then added to his knowledge in 2000, by taking a join course in Industrial Design Engineering at Imperial College (IC) London and the Royal College of Art (RCA) on a scholarship. He could only finish studying for two years because he was mentally tired. Lydia, who wanted to have work experience, worked as an engineer making pharmaceutical machines at PT Kreasi Sanadi Multi until 2006.

Lydia founded Bioteknik Design which, since 2006 to 2023, has created about 100 assistive devices for people with special needs. She designs custom wheelchairs for each patient, technically responding to the prescription from rehabilitation doctors, but also based on user experience. She now has three employees and handles 4-8 patients per month from all over Indonesia, including Makassar and Kupang. The average price per wheelchair is Rp 12.7 million.

Avoid trauma

In every design, she must conduct interviews first, for example to learn about the habits or uniqueness of a child. Lydia does not want the tool she creates to become a torture instrument. Despite her good intentions for long-term posture correction, the child may be physically and mentally tortured. This can cause trauma to the child. Therefore, there is always adaptation.

Having pediatric patients is easier. When they are happy, their eyes widen.

The design process to the use by the patient can take three weeks up to three months. There are some cases that need to be very specific, such as when making a tool for conjoined twin girls who were stuck together from the waist downwards. Initially, they could only lie in bed. Apparently, both of them liked drawing, so a tool was made, like a facing desk. They can now attend school.

The device was then equipped with wheels, which increased mobility and they can now go anywhere. The needs of child patients will continue to develop as they grow into adulthood. This makes the sustainable business model of Bioteknik Desain. Children are also easier to adapt to new products. "Having child patients is easier. If they are happy, their eyes light up," said Lydia.

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Lydia stated that while assisting children with special needs, she actually felt sorry for rich children who are busy. Usually, these children are not fully accompanied by their caregivers. The ones who usually succeed are actually children from ordinary families, but with support not only in terms of finances but also in terms of mental strength.

AFP/PAU BARRENA

Jens, a 5 year old child, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). He walks with the help of a specially designed Marsi Bionics exoskeleton.

Lydia's main energy is her passion for creating something. One of her aspirations is to create an exoskeleton, which is now being widely researched in foreign militaries. She also shared some of her failures, such as a patient who got angry because their wheelchair was broken. This is usually due to a mismatch between usage and design.

There are also those who are mute and have motoric constraints. Lydia then made a laptop-based tool that creates images for communication. Unfortunately, when contacted again, the tool was no longer used. This is because her older sibling went to college and took the laptop. "Yet, a laptop is not that expensive compared to the technology and effort we put into making it," said Lydia.

The conversation closed with a twinkle in her eye, telling the story of Wulan, a 29 year old woman with cerebral palsy who persistently wants to become a dancer. Wulan received assistance from a wheelchair made by Lydia from an alumnus of the 1993 class of ITB. "I learned from that kid. "He can, because he never stops," said Lydia with sparkling eyes.

Lydia Anggraeni Kidarsa

Born: Bandung, December 4, 1974

Father: Fritz Kartiwa Kidarsa

Mother: Christine Yoshawirja

Education:

Aloysius High School, Bandung

S-1 Engineering Physics Bandung Institute of Technology

Masters in Biomedical Engineering, Surrey University, England

Masters in Industrial Design Engineering at Imperial College (IC) London and Royal College of Art (RCA), England

Occupation: Biotechnical Design Entrepreneur