A team of undergraduates from the Division of Integrative Systems and Design (ISD), Evan CHAN Kei-Ching, Shalini KANDASAMY, Saanvi Ravi KATYAYAN, and Chloe Seojin PARK, has been named the First Runner-Up in the VTech Innovation and Sustainability Award for their Final Year Design Project “FireEye: Computer Vision and VLM-based Fire Safety Detection for Construction Sites”.

Under the supervision of Dr. Jac LEUNG, Lecturer in ISD, and Prof. Tristan BRAUD, Assistant Professor in ISD, 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.

This recognition is part of the ongoing partnership between the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) and ISD at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and VTech Corporate Services Limited (VTech). Through this collaboration, the University and VTech work together to foster innovation, advance sustainability, and empower students in developing impactful solutions to real-world challenges.

Congratulations to Evan, Shalini, Saanvi, and Chloe on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of their work in advancing safety and sustainability through innovation!