Students at Louisiana State University are turning tragedy into action by building a device that protects children from hot car deaths. The device is a smart infant car seat with an alert system that uses weight and proximity sensors to detect if a child is left unattended.
If a caregiver moves too far away, an alert is sent via Bluetooth to a separate fob device.
RELATED STORY | Dozens of kids die in hot cars every year. Here are safety tips you should know
“After learning about the families affected by these incidents, we felt a deep responsibility to develop a solution that could help prevent such tragedies and protect vulnerable lives,” said Trevor Perrault, an electrical engineering major.
The three-student team earned their degrees in May and plans to continue working on the prototype. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 children die in hot cars each year, with more than half of those fatalities occurring because the caregiver simply forgot the child was still in the vehicle.
“We’d also like to explore mass production partnerships or pitch the concept to companies focused on child safety products,” said student Victoria Irondi. “Our device is a practical, affordable tool that can make a difference in everyday lives. The capstone initiative demonstrates how student innovation can translate into real-world solutions, giving future engineers hands-on experience while addressing important societal needs.”
San Jose State University researchers say when the air temperature reaches 100 degrees, the inside of a car can reach 145 degrees after an hour. They said keeping a window cracked has "little effect" on temperature.
