Teen’s AI-Powered Auslan Solution Earns Major Prize in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Competition

Samsung Electronics Australia has today announced the winners of its 2025 Solve for Tomorrow competition, a nationwide initiative that empowers young Australians to harness STEM, AI and creativity to address real-world challenges.

Melbourne-based 15-year-old Faiz Noorani has been awarded the Major Prize for his concept, Access Lens—an AI-powered solution using augmented reality to improve real-time Auslan translation to assist Deaf and hard of hearing Australians.

Designed to translate spoken English into Auslan signs via smart glasses or a smartphone camera, Access Lens aims to help users feel more confident, connected and included in everyday interactions.

Motivated by the lack of accessible Auslan learning tools, Faiz also envisioned Access Lens as an educational platform offering interactive, self-paced lessons. Designed to run locally, it removes barriers like delays, cloud fees and ads, with the potential to be subsidised for broader community access. With applications in both communication and education, Access Lens marks a promising step toward greater inclusion for Deaf and hard of hearing Australians.

Faiz will use the $10,000 prize to further develop Access Lens; enhancing its features, expanding its reach, and building strategic partnerships to support long-term impact.

Faiz said, “Winning Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition is something I’m very proud of. The idea came from seeing a friend who is partly deaf, struggle to communicate in class, and it made me think about how many people face similar challenges every day. I wanted to create something that could help break down those barriers and make communication fairer and more accessible. It’s amazing to see that idea recognised, and it’s a reminder that you don’t need to have everything figured out to start—you just need a bit of curiosity and the drive to keep learning.”

Melbourne-based 22-year-old Ahan Khiani was awarded the ‘Runner-Up 19–24’ prize for his concept, Team Up—a mobile app designed to help adults stay active and socially connected through sport.

Recognising the difficulty of finding teammates and casual sports games after school or university, Team Up uses AI to match users with local teams, open games and fellow players based on sport preferences, location, availability and skill level. The platform also supports community teams seeking fill-ins, helping to foster a more inclusive and dynamic grassroots sporting ecosystem. With plans to pilot the app in local venues and expand through partnerships, Team Up aims to remove barriers to participation and promote lifelong engagement in sport.

Ahan said, “Sport should be one of the most inclusive parts of our week, but I saw how quickly participation drops when teams are short of players or games are cancelled. That experience—and the data—led me to create Team Up, a simple web app that helps clubs and players connect so more people can stay active and involved. Being recognised through Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition is a powerful reminder that young people’s ideas can drive real change when given the right support. Starting was the hardest part, but by staying curious and learning through doing, I’ve seen how technology like AI and STEM can help build stronger, more connected communities.”

NSW-based, Jack Lowe has been awarded the ‘Runner-Up 14–18’ prize for his concept, Eilik—an AI-powered results comparison platform designed to help educators identify potential academic dishonesty in the age of generative AI.

By analysing a student’s historical performance across subjects, Eilik estimates expected outcomes and flags significant anomalies for teacher review. Jack’s goal is to support fair learning environments and ensure students receive the help they need to build strong foundations in science, mathematics and English. With plans to expand its capabilities and explore broader applications in education, Eilik reflects a thoughtful response to one of the sector’s emerging challenges.

Jack said, “What started as a school project quickly became something much bigger. I saw how widespread cheating through AI had become and felt it was an issue that needed to be addressed. Over the past few months, I’ve taught myself Python and built a solution from the ground up, which showed me how powerful technology can be when it’s used to solve real problems. I’m proud to be recognised as one of the winners of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition. For anyone thinking about getting into STEM or AI – stick with it. It’s not always easy, but the effort you put in can lead to something genuinely meaningful”

In addition to prize money, each of the three winners received a Samsung ‘Productivity Pack’ including a Galaxy Z Flip7/Galaxy A56, Smart Monitor M70D and Galaxy Buds3.

Brett Turnbull, Director of Corporate Marketing at Samsung Electronics Australia, said, Programs such as Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow are more than competitions – they’re a launchpad for the problem solvers and innovators our future depends on. By backing young Australians with the skills and support to explore STEM and AI capabilities, we’re helping to shape a pipeline of talent ready to drive progress and make a real change, both in their communities and future industries”

Dr Kirsten Banks, Astrophysicist, STEM advocate and Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Ambassador, said, “Each year, I’m impressed by the depth of thinking and creativity shown by young Australians using STEM and AI to address real-world issues. The 2025 entries show just how powerful technology can be when paired with empathy and purpose. It’s inspiring to see these ideas not only tackle complex challenges, but also reflect a deep commitment to inclusion, education, and community impact.”

Now in its 15th year globally, Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow continues to champion youth-led innovation. The 2025 program introduced new themes—Technology for Sustainability and Social Change through Sports—alongside existing categories Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Education. The challenge encouraged bold thinking and empowered young Australians to apply STEM and AI to real-world issues, from climate action to inclusive education. Solve for Tomorrow continues to demonstrate the power of education and industry working together – showcasing how Australia’s next generation can use STEM and AI to solve issues, build new opportunities and create lasting impact for communities.