At University of Advancing Technology (UAT), students learn by building. So when Advancing Computer Science (ACS) student and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Club president Jerrod Bolton saw a gap between what students were learning in class and the chances they had to put it to work, the answer was obvious: build something. The result was UAT's first AI Hackathon, a 48-hour challenge that brought students together to turn ideas into working AI projects. We sat down with Bolton to talk about how it came together, what surprised them, and where it goes next.
The idea started with a simple goal: give students, especially those in the Advancing Computer Science major, more chances to show what they can do and build projects worth adding to a resume.
"As an ACS student myself and president of the AI Club, I felt that we needed more opportunities to apply what we were learning in the classroom to real-world challenges," Bolton said. "I wanted students to come together, collaborate, and challenge themselves to build something meaningful using artificial intelligence."
The format was straightforward. Participants had 48 hours to develop an idea and present what they created. But winning wasn't the only point. "The goal was not just competition but also creativity, learning, and innovation."
For Bolton, AI is one of the most important emerging technologies of our time, and students shouldn't have to wait until graduation to explore it.
"Since UAT focuses on technology and innovation, I felt this would be a great way to bring students together and encourage them to build projects that could positively impact their communities."
It had been a while since UAT hosted a hackathon, and bringing one back took real work, along with support from the university.
"It was an amazing experience, and I'm extremely grateful that UAT supported me throughout this journey," Bolton said. "Being able to work with the university to bring back a hackathon after not having one for a while was something I was really proud of."
There were challenges along the way. But watching students show up, build, and present made one thing clear. "Seeing students participate and present their projects showed me that there is definitely interest in events like this. It was a great first step."
The biggest surprise was how much students got done in such a short window.
"It's amazing what people can create when they are given an opportunity to challenge themselves and think creatively," Bolton said. "Seeing students turn their ideas into actual projects reminded me why I wanted to organize this hackathon in the first place."
The top honor went to Phil Akins Jr., whose project captured what a hackathon is all about. He didn't stop at a strong concept. He also delivered a demonstration of what the project could look like in action.
"I found that impressive, especially considering the limited time participants had to develop their ideas," Bolton said. "His presentation showed how much someone can accomplish in 48 hours when they put their mind to it."
Akins' winning project, Aero, is a touchless vision interface that turns any standard laptop webcam into a context-aware gesture controller. No special hardware, no expensive sensors, just software.
"Instead of relying on expensive, specialized hardware, I engineered a purely software-driven solution that adapts to the user's workflow in real time," Akins said.
To make Aero practical, Akins built several core engines:
Akins saw everyday hardware interfaces failing people right when they need them most. Presenters are tethered to clickers, professionals scramble for the mute button when they cough on a Zoom call, and multitaskers often have their hands too full to reach a keyboard. And, he admits with a laugh, he also wanted to free up one of his desktops from Spotify.
"Historically, gesture technology failed because it either required a $200 proprietary sensor or was plagued by false positives, triggering every time someone gestured while talking," Akins said. "I wanted to build a zero-cost, software-only solution that actually understood intent."
He used Gemini as a thought partner early on to pressure-test the concept's business viability. Aero was one of two ideas on the table; the other was a mobile app to help people find broken glass or small screws.
The toughest challenge wasn't the AI. It was human nature.
"The problem with gesture control is 'gesture collisions,'" Akins explained. "People naturally rest their chins on their hands, scratch their noses, or shift their posture. Initially, the system kept misinterpreting these as commands."
His fix was multi-layered intent gating. First, Gaze-Clutch™ made sure Aero only listened when the user was looking at the screen. Second, strict geometric checks on hand angle, upright palm vectors, and finger-fold ratios let the software tell an intentional command apart from a casual habit.
Akins built Aero on his own using AI tools, with occasional interruptions from his brother, and drew on process experience from another ongoing project, BeforeTech. With more time, he says, reaching out for outside help would have been more feasible.
The hackathon may be over, but Aero isn't. "I've honestly fallen in love with the program, so I'll keep developing it."
If Bolton has anything to say about it, yes. "I would absolutely love for the AI Hackathon to become a tradition at UAT, whether that means hosting it every semester or at least once a year."
The format itself worked, so the focus for next time is reach: more marketing and outreach to get more students in the room. "This first event showed that students are interested, and now it's about putting in the work to make it even bigger."
The long-term hope is bigger than any single event. "My hope is that future students will continue to explore AI, build their skills, and create projects that make a meaningful impact on their communities. I truly appreciate UAT's support in making this event possible, and I'm excited about what we can accomplish in the future!"
Curious where AI could take you? Explore technology degrees at UAT and start building now.