VAR group members Robert Klank and Katarzyna Olszyńska, working with Daniel Oquelis and Maria Tam, won first prize in the Meta-sponsored category “AI & Passthrough Camera Access” at the international XR Creator Con Hackathon (30 October–26 November 2025).
Organised by the XR Ecosystem, the competition is considered the largest independent hackathon for extended reality worldwide. A total of 3,441 people from 99 countries took part. From 164 submitted projects, 34 finalists and ultimately 15 winning teams were selected.
The jury was impressed by the team’s ‘Safe Walk’ project, an XR and AI-based safety solution for smart glasses. Safe Walk addresses a socially relevant issue: the feeling of insecurity many people – especially women – experience when walking alone in the dark. Using simple gestures or a predefined safe word, users can send their location and a live video stream to selected trusted individuals. They are accompanied by AI-based assistance that provides reassuring support and navigates them to safer environments such as well-lit streets or open shops.
By combining computer vision, voice control, live streaming and deliberately reduced user guidance, Safe Walk demonstrates how XR technologies can be used in a practical and people-centred way. The concept is scalable and can be transferred to future smart glasses platforms and other areas of application such as commuting, campus security, travel or working alone.