AquaEye wins Rep. Bruce Westerman’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Arkansas’ Fourth District

When asked what inspired the creation of AquaEye, the students said, “As a team, we were inspired to create this app by our shared passion for technology and our experiences. Whether it’s crowded public pools or swim meets, we’ve spent countless hours in pools and have observed how difficult it can be for lifeguards to constantly monitor every swimmer, especially when seconds can make the difference between life and death. This personal experience motivated us to find a technological solution that could assist lifeguards in such high-stress environments.

Our strong background in Computer Science, combined with a desire to address a real-world problem, led us to the development of this app. Drowning is a significant global issue, with an estimated 236,000 deaths occurring each year, according to the World Health Organization. Many of these incidents happen quickly and silently, making it incredibly difficult for even the most attentive lifeguards to intervene in time. Knowing that technology has the power to improve life-saving measures, we wanted to create an app that would enhance lifeguards’ ability to detect and respond to drowning more effectively.

The idea that AI could complement human effort and serve as a powerful tool to prevent drowning was exciting to us. By creating a system that analyzes video feeds and uses AI to detect signs of drowning, we believe we can make a meaningful impact on water safety.
For us, this project is not just about building an app—it’s about using our skills to solve a critical issue that our team has witnessed firsthand. Our goal is to provide lifeguards with an innovative tool that gives them an extra layer of support, ensuring that they can react faster and more accurately in life-threatening situations. By leveraging state-of-the-art AI technology and a creative approach, we hope to reduce drowning incidents and make water environments safer for everyone.”