In a remarkable display of technological prowess and creativity, the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) Velocity Center hosted its fourth annual VelocityX Hackathon, awarding a total of $12,000 in cash prizes. The event, co-sponsored by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), challenged participants to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance U.S. defense systems against enemy aircraft.
Seven teams comprised of coders and innovators competed fervently, demonstrating their skills in AI development with a focus on aircraft detection and classification tailored to support Navy operations. The winners, team Seahawks, took home the first-place prize of $4,500. Members Shameer Rao and Alex Stoyanov-Roberts, senior Computer Science students from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, expressed their enthusiasm for the competition. “We are coders and problem solvers at heart,” they said, revealing plans to continue their academic pursuits with Ph.D.s at Morgan State University.
The second-place prize of $3,500 was awarded to The Aircraft Detection (and Segmentation) Team, a group of coworkers demonstrating their collaborative spirit and technical acumen. Meanwhile, Dezmon Estep, an employee of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), secured third place with his project, “Feature and Edge Contingent Aircraft Classification,” earning him $2,500. Estep shared his enjoyment of the event, stating, “I particularly enjoyed learning different techniques and information from both mentors and other participants.”
Fourth place and a prize of $1,500 went to the father-son duo Daniel and Maxwell Stine of Team 111%, showcasing the familial bond and shared interest in technology.
Throughout the event, the competitors had access to the Velocity Center’s resources and were mentored by experts from the Navy, enhancing their understanding and application of sophisticated AI technologies. Charles Rea, NAWCAD’s chief technologist and division head for autonomy and AI, underscored the transformative impact of AI. “AI is transforming every aspect of our society,” he remarked during a demonstration of drone tracking technology, further revealing that his speech had been composed by an AI.
The panel of judges, which included representatives from Leadership Southern Maryland, NAVAIR, and the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), evaluated the innovative solutions presented over the two-day event.
The VelocityX Hackathon not only highlighted the growing intersection of technology and defense but also provided a platform for emerging talents to contribute to significant advancements in AI, promoting both personal and professional growth among participants.
