Mexican teen wins gold with sound fire extinguisher
Ángela Karime Venegas Hernández, a 16-year-old student from CETIS 78 in Altamira, Tamaulipas, won a gold medal and a special award at the International Science and Invention Fair 2026 in Indonesia. Her project, Vortex Tech, surpassed approximately 110 global entries. This victory secures her entry into an upcoming science competition in Indonesia.
The project originated from a video demonstrating sound extinguishing a candle flame via air displacement from sound waves. She collaborated with her uncle, a science master’s degree holder, over one year to construct five prototypes.
The final device incorporates a 12-volt battery, a frequency generator, and a speaker emitting low-frequency pulses. These sound waves displace oxygen from the flame, extinguishing fires within five to eight seconds. Integrated sensors detect fires and activate the system automatically.
Experts emphasize that Vortex Tech remains an unapproved student-made prototype rather than a certified fire extinguisher. Its efficacy on actual fires remains unproven, and it must not substitute standard fire extinguishers, sprinklers, alarms, or emergency services.
Further testing and research are required to determine the invention’s viability for real-world applications.
