13-Year-Old from California Named America's Top Young Scientist for Inventing Innovative Fall Detection Home Safety System

CHARLOTTE, NC / ST. PAUL, MN / ACCESS Newswire / October 15, 2025 / 3M (@3M) and Discovery Education (@DiscoveryEd) named Kevin Tang, an 8^th grader at Cedarlane Academy of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District in Hacienda Heights, California, as the winner of the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier middle school science competition. Kevin distinguished himself with a novel fall detection device that can accelerate emergency responses to falls among older adults at home, even in the dark. As the grand prize winner, he received a $25,000 cash prize and the prestigious title of "America's Top Young Scientist."

Kevin spent the last four months competing against nine other finalists and ultimately secured himself the win during final Challenge events at 3M global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Oct. 13 and 14. The finalists had to navigate a series of scientific tasks and were evaluated on their communication and presentation skills, ingenuity, innovative thinking, application of STEM principles, demonstration of passion and research, and the ability to inspire others.

Kevin's custom in-home device uses video analysis and smart alerts to protect older adults in their homes. It can recognize falls with high accuracy, even at night. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that falls are the leading cause of injury among 1 in 4 older adults annually, or over 14 million people. Kevin created an algorithm that analyzes video input to identify falls and triggers alerts to loved ones via a corresponding smart phone application. His new solution advances current offerings on the market through the ability to capture imagery at night and provide around-the-clock monitoring. The device can also detect irregular movements while the individual is walking, which could be a symptom of a stroke.

"By tapping into their curiosity and reimagining what's possible, these impressive finalists have developed solutions to real-world problems," said Torie Clarke, 3M's executive vice president and chief public affairs officer. "Year after year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge demonstrates the power of science to create positive impact and emphasizes that the next great innovation can come from anywhere. We are so proud of this year's competitors and can't wait to see what they accomplish next."