ISD Student Recognized in VTech Innovation and Sustainability Award for AI-powered Fire Safety Project

We are pleased to announce that ISD undergraduate students CHAN Kei Ching, Evan; Shalini Kandasamy; Saanvi Ravi Katyayan; and Seojin Park, Chloe have been named the First Runner-Up in the VTech Innovation and Sustainability Award.

This recognition is part of the ongoing partnership between HKUST's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE), the Division of Integrative Systems and Design (ISD), and VTech Corporate Services Limited (VTech). Through this collaboration, HKUST and VTech work together to foster innovation, promote sustainability, and support students in developing impactful solutions to real-world challenges.

The team was recognized for their Final Year Design Project, FireEye: Computer Vision and VLM-based Fire Safety Detection for Construction Sites. The project leverages computer vision and vision-language models (VLMs) to enhance fire safety monitoring in construction environments, enabling proactive risk detection and supporting safer workplace practices.

By applying advanced AI technologies to real-world safety challenges, the project demonstrates how innovation can contribute to safer and more sustainable built environments. Representing the team, Evan Chan presented the project. The project was developed under the supervision of Dr. Jac Leung and Prof. Tristan Braud.

This achievement reflects the strength of interdisciplinary innovation at ISD and the potential of emerging technologies to address pressing societal and industry needs. We congratulate Evan, Shalini, Saanvi, and Chloe on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to seeing the continued impact of their work.

We would also like to thank VTech for its efforts in promoting innovation and awareness of sustainability at HKUST, and for supporting students in developing solutions that create positive impact for society and the environment.