Mexican student develops acoustic fire extinguisher

Ángela Karime Venegas Hernández, a 17-year-old student from Altamira, Tamaulipas, has developed an experimental device called ‘Vortex Tech’ that uses low-frequency sound waves to extinguish small flames.

The device, which utilizes a 12-volt battery, a frequency generator, an amplifier, a speaker, and a modified container acting as a cannon, emits a 30 hertz frequency. This creates acoustic waves in the form of vortex rings that displace the oxygen necessary for combustion. The project was inspired by research into sonic cannons used by agencies like DARPA.

Venegas, a student at the Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos, Industriales y de Servicios (CETis) 78, presented her invention at the International Science and Invention Fair in Indonesia from October 14 to 16, 2026. The development of the prototype involved approximately one year of research and five different versions to achieve successful results.