The Strathmore–CESI Hackathon 3.0, held from June 15 to 19, 2026, brought together students from Strathmore University’s School of Computing and Engineering Sciences (SCES) and CESI France for an intensive, project-based innovation workshop.

The hackathon challenged participants to design practical, technology-driven solutions using Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and robotics to address real-world industrial and societal problems. The focus areas included improving operational efficiency, predictive maintenance, smart manufacturing, and real-time monitoring systems.

Working in mixed international teams, students collaborated to transform problem statements into prototype solutions under tight timelines, culminating in final presentations evaluated by a panel of.

One of the standout solutions came from the Shopping Quatre group, which sought to tackle inefficient checkout systems in retail environments, particularly long queues in supermarkets.

The team identified that traditional barcode-based scanning requires items to be processed individually, slowing down customer flow. To address this, they proposed an RFID-based automated checkout system.

Instead of scanning products one by one, customers place all items in a basket or cart, which is then scanned at once using RFID technology. The system automatically reads all tagged items simultaneously, significantly reducing checkout time and improving customer experience.

The problem affected multiple stakeholders including business owners, customers, and cashiers. Business owners aim to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction while minimizing losses from theft and delays. Customers seek faster checkout experiences, while cashiers face repetitive scanning tasks that slow workflow.

The team also explored alternative solutions such as AI-based camera recognition systems and online ordering models, but emphasized RFID cart automation as the most efficient and scalable approach.

The Lazy Lobsters team focused on healthcare innovation, developing a patient monitoring system designed to detect patient falls and sudden health deterioration in hospital wards.

Their solution addressed a critical issue: patients, especially those at risk, often fall unnoticed when alone, leading to delayed response times and increased medical complications.

Using an AI-powered detection system, the proposed solution continuously monitors patients through vision-based analysis. The system classifies patient states such as standing, sitting, distress, or collapse, and automatically triggers alerts when abnormal events are detected.

The system integrates RFID badge-in verification for nurses, ensuring that alerts are routed to the correct ward and staff members. Once a fall or emergency is detected, the system activates both local alerts (buzzer and visual signals) and digital notifications sent to a nurse dashboard.

Stakeholders in this system include patients, nurses, hospital administrators, regulators, insurance providers, AI developers, and emergency response teams—all of whom benefit from faster detection and improved response times.

The solution was ranked highly during the hackathon for its practicality and feasibility within a short development cycle.

Another team developed a Pharmacy Solution system aimed at improving communication between doctors, pharmacists, and patients.

The proposed system focuses on streamlining the medication dispensing process and ensuring patients receive timely reminders for their prescriptions. By digitizing prescription flow from doctors to pharmacists, the system helps reduce delays and improve adherence to treatment schedules.

Additionally, the system is designed to notify patients about their medication schedules, supporting better health outcomes through reminders and improved coordination within healthcare services.

On Thursday, June 18, 2026, all participating groups presented their projects before the judges who evaluated the solutions based on innovation, feasibility, and impact. Each team demonstrated their prototypes and explained their problem-solving approaches.

At the conclusion of the hackathon, participants were awarded certificates of participation. The event closed with brief speeches from organizers and facilitators, who commended the students for their creativity, collaboration, and technical innovation throughout the program.

The Strathmore–CESI Hackathon 3.0 highlighted the power of international collaboration in solving real-world challenges through technology. By combining IoT, AI, and robotics, students demonstrated practical solutions with the potential to improve retail efficiency, healthcare response systems, and pharmaceutical processes.

The experience not only strengthened technical skills but also fostered cross-cultural teamwork and innovation among upcoming engineers and computer scientists.

Article written by Jonathan Icubahiro