Affordable onsite E. coli testing device for community engagement Akira Kikuchi 1,3,a* , Muhammad Syafinas 2 , Romaidi 3 , Alaa Mohammed Mahmood 1 , Wira Eka Putra 4 , Bayyinatul Muchtaromah 3 , Evika Sandi Savitri 3 , Nangkula Uaberta I.A.I 5 , Mohd Ismail bin Abd Aziz 6 , and Mutah Musa 7 1 Institute of Environmental and Water Resource Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 2 Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 3 Faculty of Science and Technology, The State Islamic University, Malang, Indonesia. 4 Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, University of Brawijaya, Indonesia. 5 Faculty of Design and Architecture Universiti Putra Malaysia 6 Office of Student Affairs and Alumni, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 7 National Center for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Moor Plantation – Apata, Ibadan, Nigeria a kikuchiakira@hotmail.com Keywords: Affordable onsite sensing device, Developing country, Hygiene Abstract. The need for affordable onsite sensing device (AOSD) has been determined in the medical, environmental, and educational fields since mid 2000s. This article aims to explore the unique nature and definition of the AOSD, and conclusively culminated the discussion into a designed prototype trial device. The definition of AOSD was concluded as “a unique cost efficient device that can solve users’ actual small problems giving unique experimental capacity to improve their quality of life, quality of education, quality of environment, and quality of job under quite resource limited settings”. The best water hygiene indicator, E. coli, was selected as an example of analyte. A designed prototype trial E. coli AOSD showed very good performance in a community engagement program in LAO PDR. Introduction Since the mid 2000s, there has been an increasing need for new capacity for` affordable onsite sensing devices (AOSD) in the medical field [1] and water environmental management [2], which is also useful in experiential learning [3]. There isn’t comprehensive definition for AOSD yet over such wide disciplines. Though the WHO’s definition would be helpful: i) Affordable, ii) Sensitive, iii) Specific, iv) User-friendly, v) Rapid and robust, vi) Equipment-free, and vii) Delivered to those who need it [1]. AOSD is an ongoing innovation to bring new benefits to communities. However users often show reluctance to use it due to conservative bureaucratic thought with proactive techniques by high-tech instruments and corresponding human skills [2]. Hence, the clear definition of AOSD with character of testing location has high impact to global humanity and environmental conservation due to the wide spectrum of potential users. This article aims to carry out the definition and unique nature of AOSD, and to conclude all the discussion into a prototype trial AOSD. In the drinking water management framework, the main concerns are to develop the capacity to supply microbially safe water, and to discourage less microbially safe water consumption [4]. E. coli contamination testing is recommended for the minimum monitoring parameter in water-supplies as E. coli is the best indicator for fecal contamination i.e. risk of the hygienic state of drinking water [4]. Hence, E. coli testing AOSD was selected to design potential prototype product of AOSD. Platform technique. Bacteria contamination test strip is one of the simplest devices to convert traditional chromogenic enzyme assay into mobile phase. Coliform bacteria and E. coli simultaneous test strip (product of Sun Chemical, Japan) is good example of such [5,6]. Pith of the chromogenic Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 747 (2015) pp 257-260 Submitted: 2014-10-24 © (2015) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Revised: 2014-10-28 doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.747.257 Accepted: 2014-10-28 Online: 2015-03-30 All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of Trans Tech Publications, www.ttp.net. (ID: 165.123.34.86, University of Pennsylvania Library, Philadelphia, USA-15/10/15,07:40:03)