HackKU
Pictured: HackKU 2025 participants (photo provided by Everett Yan)
The University of Kansas School of Engineering hosted HackKU from April 4–6, drawing nearly 500 participants from across the region. Over a 36-hour period, students immersed themselves in workshops, coding sessions, and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders who served as both mentors and judges. This year, the hackathon was sponsored by the Patient Safety Technology Challenge for the first time.
By partnering with the Patient Safety Technology Challenge, HackKU organizers offered students a chance to explore the critical issues of medical harm and patient safety. Trent Gould, an organizer for HackKU, noted how participants “were excited to build tools with real-world impacts,” thanks to the partnership with the Patient Safety Technology Challenge. From medication errors to food allergies, students creatively tackled a wide array of patient safety concerns.
The challenge inspired many innovative projects, however MedIQ and FoodSafe emerged as the top winners. MedIQ won the first-place prize, with each team member taking home Beats Solo 4 headphones. Inspired by the “Patient Safety 101” workshop held at the start of the hackathon, Eric Wong and his team set out to address one of the most pervasive issues within healthcare: medication-related preventable harm, especially among older adults. “We focused on building an app that’s both user-friendly and visually accessible for seniors,” said Wong.
MedIQ simplifies complex medication management with a user-centered design that integrates several standout features. For example, it includes Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) to retrieve medication data, which eliminates the need for manual entry, as well as potential errors in manual data entry. Additionally, the app syncs with Apple Calendar to detect prescription refill reminders and it syncs with Uber to enable users to easily arrange transportation to medical appointments. MedIQ also features simplified medical record displays and a multilingual text-to-speech feature to enhance patient-provider communication. The app not only helps patients stay on top of their medications, but also empowers them with tools for better, safer healthcare experiences.
The second-place prize was awarded to FoodSafe. Each team member received a Logitech G305 Wireless Mouse. FoodSafe was born from a personal connection to the dangers associated with food allergies. For team member Joshua Wilcox, the challenge was an opportunity to develop a solution to a problem faced by a family with food allergies.
FoodSafe combines Gemini AI vision with Google Cloud Text-to-Speech API to scan food and identify known allergens. The app even verbally communicates questions about potential allergens in multiple languages, which can be ideal for hospital settings or foreign healthcare environments. Wilcox pointed out how FoodSafe protects patients, even in circumstances where ingredients are not listed, and protects patients who are navigating healthcare while abroad where they may be unable to communicate with healthcare providers. This feature also increases patient safety for patients who are not fluent in English and currently face language barriers within healthcare settings.
Looking ahead, the team plans to integrate additional AI models to reduce detection errors, add location-based data, allowing users to flag known allergen risks at specific restaurants or hospitals, and publish their app in iOS and Android App Stores.
HackKU empowered students to channel their technical skills into life-saving solutions. From medication management to allergen detection, participants tackled real-world patient safety concerns with passion and purpose.
