Archive · 8 Jan 2026
Keystone High Students Win Second Place
Students from Keystone High School in Hyderabad won second place in a competition at IIT Kharagpur.
They created a special walking stick called the SonoStep Smart Cane to help blind people navigate better.
The stick uses a camera to detect obstacles and warns the user through sounds or vibrations.
The students worked on this project for two years while also doing their regular schoolwork.
They even talked to students at a school for the blind to understand their needs.
Their teachers helped them make sure the project was well-documented and useful, not just for the competition.
The award shows how students can solve real-world problems while studying.
Keystone High School students won second place at the IIT Kharagpur Young Innovators Program.
They developed the SonoStep Smart Cane, an assistive device for visually impaired navigation.
The project was part of the school's IB and Cambridge academic programs, guided by the Idea Loom framework.
Students collaborated with Devnar School for the Blind to understand mobility challenges.
The device uses a camera to detect obstacles and alerts users through audio or vibration.
- Who
- Students from Keystone High School, Hyderabad
- What
- Developed an assistive navigation device called SonoStep Smart Cane
- When
- Over a two-year period, with the award presented on January 8
- Where
- IIT Kharagpur Young Innovators Program
- Why
- To improve everyday navigation for visually impaired users
- School
- Keystone High School, Hyderabad
- Program
- IIT Kharagpur Young Innovators Program
- Project
- SonoStep Smart Cane
- Duration
- Two years
- Award
- Second place
- Participants
- Grades 9-12 students
- Collaboration
- Devnar School for the Blind