After seeing the devastation of Northern California’s Camp Fire in 2018, then fifth-grade student Ryan Honary felt inspired to do his part to help.
Now, the 17-year-old Newport Harbor High School junior is partnering with the Orange County Fire Authority to launch his artificial intelligence-powered fire detection system to prevent disasters in the region.
KCAL News reported that his software, called SensoRy AI, utilizes solar panels alongside gas and smoke sensors to spot wildfires at their earliest stages before the flames have the potential to place residents in danger. The technology, which has been set up in the Quail Hill area of Irvine, is also equipped with an infrared camera that takes a snapshot of the fire before it’s shared instantaneously with OCFA staff.
“The idea is that by the time the firefighters are there to put it out, a human shouldn’t have been able to see it from their house,” Ryan told KCAL News.
In an interview with the OCDE Newsroom in 2024, Ryan said he has received honors and grants from nonprofits like the Irvine Ranch Conservancy to develop his technology — even having the opportunity to share his work at United Nations events.
In the coming months, Ryan will work with the OCFA to install more fire detectors along state Route 133 entering Laguna Beach with a goal of 25 active detectors by the end of the year.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- NBC4 Los Angeles recently shed a spotlight on Fullerton School District employee Kenny Jeffrey, who received a celebratory surprise from his colleagues on his 40-year work anniversary with the district.
- Junior Achievement of Orange County honored County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean with the 2024 JA Champion Award for his commitment to the education of OC students.
- Students from the Connections at University High School’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program earned third- and fourth-place titles in the national Willigan Wrestling Tournament.
- For the eighth time in nine years, the Woodbridge High School decathletes were declared champions at the Orange County Academic Decathlon awards ceremony.
- College and industry professionals hosted panels and workshops tailored to high school students at the second annual College and Career Pathways in the Arts event at Saddleback College on Feb. 7.
- Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Corona del Mar High School alum Maddie Musselman has returned to the Southern California water polo community to help coach the Newport Harbor High School girls team this season.
- Through the end of the month, graduating high school seniors who attend Laguna Beach High School or who live in Laguna Beach can apply for scholarships awarded by the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach.
- In honor of American Heart Month, Troy High School students learned traditional CPR methods and hands-on emergency readiness skills in training sessions led by the Fullerton Fire Department.
- In the four years following the 2020 pandemic, TK-12 students in California endured slightly less learning loss compared to the national average, according to new data from Stanford University, Harvard University and Dartmouth College.
- The South Coast Air Quality Management District has opened applications for public school districts to replace their older school buses with zero-emission buses.
- In the wake of the fires that raged through Los Angeles in January, Cal State Fullerton professor Shu-Chen Yen published a children’s book offering fire education and safety tips to young learners.
- Local youth are spreading the love to senior citizens by writing handwritten cards this Valentine’s Day, through KidWorks’ after-school program in Santa Ana.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.