IRVINE, Calif. — An artificial intelligence-enhanced system that watches over truck drivers and warns them when they are drowsy or distracted — without violating their privacy — took the top prize at the Stella Zhang New Venture Competition Grand Finale at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business.
The Sentinel team took home the $20,000 grand prize in addition to $10,000 for winning the Business Products and Services category in the 20th annual New Venture Competition — the third with Stella Zhang as the title sponsor, according to a news release.
Sentinel topped nine other finalist teams after the seven-month journey to this final pitch event.
“This is one of my favorite evenings of the year,” said Dr. Ian Williamson, dean of the Paul Merage School of Business. “It’s my favorite because we are seeing our future, the stars and makers of our future here. We started this process with more than 400 individuals. What we’re seeing here tonight is the best of the best.”
Zhang, who earned a master’s of business administration in 2005 from the UCI Paul Merage School of Business, was praised for providing the “transformational” gift that has raised the level of the competition. She is the Chief Operating Officer at American Lending Center, based in Irvine. She spoke to the crowd about the importance of perseverance and forming partnerships in the quest for entrepreneurial success.
Sentinel’s team members are Kyle Deck, Michael Ross, Cody He, Spike O’Carrol, Natan Ampudia and Kevin Wu. Their warning system uses a video camera connected to a computer analyzer to watch for drowsiness or other signs of distracted driving and offers an immediate warning to the driver. The program uses machine learning to get progressively better at recognizing early signs of trouble.
The team interviewed truck drivers who preferred Sentinel’s system because it turns off and does not monitor drivers when the rig is not in motion. While it does provide a record to review in case of incidents, there is no automatic video feed.
The Neomold team of bioengineers won the competition. They created a 3-D-printed customizable ear mold that non-surgically corrects newborn babies’ outer ear deformities within two-to-six weeks of birth, avoiding surgery. The team took home an additional $5,000.
Teams also found out whether they had finished first or second in their respective categories. It made a difference — first-place teams received $10,000, while second-place was worth $5,000.
Sentinel, Flare, Quiver, Two Cube and PZ Nanopore were the first-place category-winning teams. Bagit, Lynne, Crafty Palate, Neomold and DermaVision were the runners-up.
The Stella Zhang New Venture Competition is organized by the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. For more information, go to the website.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
