Pasadena Student Develops Radar Safety Device

A local teenager created a wearable device that warns pedestrians of vehicles approaching from behind.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Teens

Bold vector editorial illustration of a small minimalist radar hardware device resting on a paved sidewalk, evoking pedestrian safety innovation. — Pasadena high school student Cavon Hajamiri has developed Hindsight, a wearable radar device designed to alert pedestrians to oncoming vehicle traffic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Cavon Hajamiri, a 17-year-old student at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, has invented a wearable radar device called Hindsight. The prototype aims to improve pedestrian safety by alerting users to oncoming traffic.

Why it matters

The device was developed after Hajamiri faced several near-miss traffic incidents while walking in an area with limited sidewalk infrastructure. It seeks to provide pedestrians with greater situational awareness in high-risk zones.

The Hindsight device provides approximately seven seconds of early warning time to the user. It functions as a patented prototype that utilizes radar to detect and distinguish approaching objects.

The players

Cavon Hajamiri

He is a 17-year-old student at Polytechnic School who developed the Hindsight radar device.

Polytechnic School

This is a private school in Pasadena, California, where the device developer is currently a student.

The details

The device alerts users to rear-approaching traffic through a combination of vibrations, audio cues, or smartphone signals. Hajamiri spent four years refining the hardware and software to ensure the radar accurately identifies vehicles.

Hajamiri began focusing on pedestrian safety when he was 13 years old.
The development and refinement of the prototype occurred over the past four years.

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Culture Shift

This project reflects a growing trend in consumer tech toward personal safety hardware designed to mitigate risks in environments with limited pedestrian infrastructure. It follows a pattern of bringing sophisticated vehicular radar sensors into compact, wearable formats for individual use.

For residents in areas with limited sidewalks, this device could eventually provide a new layer of personal protection during daily walks. The technology aims to reduce the risk of accidents by providing a consistent, automated alert system.

The takeaway

Innovation in pedestrian safety often begins with identifying simple, localized infrastructure failures that affect daily routines. This prototype highlights how students can leverage radar technology to address personal safety gaps in their own communities.