Image Credit: iit.edu
Chicago: A group of Indian-origin graduate students at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) has created an AI-powered surveillance platform called VigilAI, designed to transform passive CCTV systems into real-time crime detection tools.
Their groundbreaking work is drawing global attention as they advance toward the $1 million Hult Prize, often called the “Nobel Prize for students.”
Key Facts:
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VigilAI analyzes multiple CCTV feeds simultaneously, detecting threats in real time and issuing immediate alerts.
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The team won $15,000 through the Grainger Computing Innovation Prize in October 2023.
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They’re now competing in the international stages of the Hult Prize, with a chance to present at the global finals in London later this year.
The innovation journey began when Utkarsh Nanda and Utsav Pathak, both second-year Computer Science master's students at Illinois Tech, identified inefficiencies in conventional surveillance systems.
Partnering with fellow Indian-origin students Nijgururaj Ashtagi, Varn Tejas, and Gaurav Mourya, along with Brittany Shepherd, they launched VigilAI—a platform that uses intelligent pattern recognition to reduce false alarms and escalate real threats with supporting footage and context.
VigilAI’s cloud-based infrastructure enables it to assess multiple camera feeds in parallel, offering law enforcement and security personnel accurate, prioritized alerts.
The team says it’s not just about spotting a fight or theft in progress—it’s about using data to anticipate patterns of behavior and flag anomalies that might signal danger.
Their victory at the Grainger Computing Innovation Prize gave them crucial funding and momentum to scale.
“Winning is not just about the money—it’s about the reach and credibility needed to revolutionize public safety globally,” the team shared in a statement.
With two patents pending and support from Illinois Tech’s Kaplan Institute Startup Accelerator, they’re preparing to take VigilAI to international markets.
As they gear up for the Hult Prize’s global finals, the team is focused on refining their technology, expanding partnerships, and ensuring their system meets privacy and ethical standards across jurisdictions.
If successful, their innovation could be a game-changer for urban safety and emergency response systems around the world.
Do You Know?
The Hult Prize was launched in partnership with the United Nations and former U.S. President Bill Clinton to promote student-led solutions to global challenges. (Source: hultprize.org)
Key Terms:
VigilAI: An AI-driven platform that enhances traditional CCTV by detecting and flagging criminal or unusual activity in real time.
Hult Prize: A prestigious global startup competition for students, with a $1 million award for the best social entrepreneurship idea.
Grainger Computing Innovation Prize: An award for exceptional student-led technology innovations, supported by the Grainger Foundation.
Kaplan Institute: An innovation hub at Illinois Tech that supports student entrepreneurship through mentoring, funding, and incubation.