A Mexican electronics student has won an international gold medal for a sound-based fire‑suppression prototype that reportedly puts out small flames without using water or chemicals.
Ángela Karime Venegas Hernández, who studies at CETis 78 in Altamira, Tamaulipas, received a technology-category gold medal for her Vortex Tech device at the International Science and Invention Fair (ISIF 2026) in Indonesia, an award the Tamaulipas government confirmed on 24 October.
The project explores acoustic fire suppression, a field investigating how sound-generated airflow can disrupt flames. Its recognition marks a student engineering achievement, while its suitability for emergency firefighting remains unestablished.
From Candle Flame to Global Science Medal
Venegas told El País that she developed the device with her uncle and adviser, José Arturo Hernández Muñoz. They spent about a year reaching a fifth prototype, beginning with the objective of extinguishing a candle flame. She said a video of an acoustic cannon inspired the project.
🇲🇽🥇 ¡ORGULLO MEXICANO! Ángela Karime Hernández, estudiante del CETIS 78 de Altamira, Tamaulipas, ganó el oro en Indonesia con “Vortex Tech”, un dispositivo que extingue fuego con ondas sonoras. ¡El talento mexicano brilla en el mundo! 👏 #OrgulloMexicano https://t.co/ybx7ME2OYw
— Distrito Regio (@distritoregio) October 22, 2026
The work subsequently progressed beyond that initial objective, according to her account to N+. She told the broadcaster that the team had conducted more than 100 tests involving several types of burning material, including wood, flammable liquids and cooking-oil grease.
Those reported experiments describe the project's development. They do not, by themselves, establish how consistently the device works or which real-world fires it could safely tackle.
How the Vortex Tech Prototype Operates
According to the Tamaulipas announcement, the prototype combines a 12-volt battery, frequency generator, amplifier and speaker. Officials describe an operating frequency of 30 hertz, equivalent to 30 cycles per second.
The proposed approach uses sound-driven air movement to disturb a flame, rather than applying water, foam or powder. The announcement also describes thermal sensors intended to activate an acoustic suppression system.
Acoustic fire suppression predates this project. A review published in Fire on 27 March 2025 describes airflow disturbance as an important mechanism through which low-frequency sound can destabilise combustion.
It also identifies sound pressure and waveform as factors affecting performance.
That research provides context for the approach. It does not establish the effectiveness of this particular prototype.
What the Existing Tests Leave Out
The N+ interview reports Venegas's description of testing across different materials, but does not supply a complete test protocol, independently verified success rates or measurements establishing the device's limits.
The reviewed sources do not establish its safe operating distance, battery endurance, sound-exposure levels or performance against large or spreading fires. These gaps prevent a reliable assessment of how it would perform during an emergency.
The Fire review identifies broader challenges for acoustic suppression, including insufficient research on solid fuels and complex environments. It also says the parameters separating sound-induced flame enhancement from suppression remain unresolved.
Frequency alone therefore cannot establish safety or effectiveness. A competition medal should not be interpreted as approval to replace certified firefighting equipment.
Next Steps for Vortex Tech and Its Inventor
The Tamaulipas government said Venegas also received an IYSA Semi Grand Award, giving her the right to participate in the Indonesian International Applied Science Project Olympiad.
Exact participation dates require clarification because the state announcement and the organiser's published listing differ. N+ separately reports that she is preparing to present the project at a competition in Tunisia in March 2027.
For Vortex Tech, the unresolved question is how far the reported results can translate into dependable fire protection. Assessing that would require documented performance limits, repeatable testing and evidence addressing both suppression effectiveness and safe operation.
