ITERA Research Team Introduces “Lensa Herbal” Artificial Intelligence Application to the Community at PKK Agropark Lampung
LAMPUNG – A research team from Institut Teknologi Sumatera (ITERA) held a socialization and mentoring program on the use of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based application called “Lensa Herbal”. The event took place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the PKK Agropark Lampung edutourism area in Sabah Balau. A total of 40 participants enthusiastically took part in the series of activities, from the introduction of the application to hands-on practice scanning family medicinal plants (Tanaman Obat Keluarga/TOGA).
This activity is part of ITERA’s community service program as well as an effort to bring research results into practical use based on ITERA’s expertise, particularly to introduce AI-based leaf image recognition technology. The event was attended by the Head of PKK Agropark Lampung, Mr. Muchtar Gunadi, S.T., along with the garden management team, agropark visitors, the ITERA student research team, as well as high school and university students currently undertaking their internship (Praktik Kerja Lapangan/PKL) at the partner site.
The activity was initiated by an ITERA research team led by Aidil Afriansyah, S.Kom., M.Kom., with team members Hafiz Budi Firmansyah, S.Kom., M.Sc., Ph.D., Eko Dwi Nugroho, S.Kom., M.Cs., and Miranti Verdiana, M.Si.
Leaf Recognition Technology to Support Herbal Edutourism
In his remarks, the Head of the ITERA Research Team, Aidil Afriansyah, S.Kom., M.Kom., explained that the development of the “Lensa Herbal” application was driven by the great potential of medicinal plants in Lampung. However, the general public often finds it difficult to identify these plants accurately because their leaves look very similar to one another.
“The Lensa Herbal application serves as a practical solution right in the palm of people’s hands. By utilizing a smartphone camera, this smart application can recognize types of family medicinal plants quickly and accurately from images of their leaves alone. Beyond detecting species names, the application also provides comprehensive information on their health benefits and how to process them safely. We hope this innovation can support PKK Agropark in becoming a modern and interactive botanical edutourism area,” said Aidil.
Positive Response from PKK Agropark Lampung
The Head of PKK Agropark Lampung, Mr. Muchtar Gunadi, S.T., welcomed the activity and expressed his appreciation for the active role of ITERA academics in bringing technological innovation directly to the community.
“We greatly appreciate the presence of the researchers and students from ITERA. The Lensa Herbal application brings tremendous added value to PKK Agropark. Visitors and students doing their internship here no longer just look at the plants, but can now learn independently using their own phones. This strongly supports our vision of providing an agricultural and herbal edutourism experience that is informative, modern, and beneficial to the wider community,” said Gunadi.
Participants Eagerly Try Out the Application
The socialization session was highly interactive as the 40 participants were invited to directly practice scanning various types of TOGA leaves in the garden area. One of the visitors who joined the practice session said that the application was easy to use.
“At first, I was often confused about how to tell apart medicinal plant leaves that look very similar. But after trying the Lensa Herbal application earlier, I just had to take a photo of the leaf, and the plant’s name and its health benefits immediately appeared. This application is very helpful and enjoyable to use,” said one of the visitors who took part in the practice session.
Hopes for Continued Collaboration
The event concluded with a Q&A session, technical assistance from the student team, and an evaluation of the application’s effectiveness. Through this activity, the collaboration between ITERA and PKK Agropark Lampung is expected to continue in order to strengthen digital literacy in botany and promote herbal-based health independence in Lampung Province.
