Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has once again demonstrated its commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship as Team Excel secured second place at the OAU SPAC embedded Hackathon 2026 competition, held in Ile-ife, Osun State on June 27, 2026. The competition brought together 35 teams and individual innovators from across South-west Nigeria to present practical solutions leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), data, and next-generation technologies to address challenges in agriculture, education, healthcare, safety, and waste management. Team Excel, comprising Oladele Goodness (Civil Engineering), Okanlawon Obaloluwa (Human Anatomy), and Rojaiye Mayowa (Survey and Geoinfomatics), was mentored by Professor T. B. Asafa, Director of the Centre for Emerging Skill and Technology (CEST), LAUTECH.

The team’s innovation, InfantGuard is a portable child health screening device designed to support the early detection of pneumonia and respiratory distress in low-resource communities. The system combines a MAX30102 pulse oximeter sensor to measure oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and heart rate with an omnidirectional MEMS microphone that captures breathing and cough sounds associated with respiratory illnesses.

 Their innovative solution earned them Second place, along with a cash prize of ₦100,000, mentorship opportunities, and strategic support for further development.