Texas A&M Students Fuel The Future Of Secure Nuclear Energy

However, their mobility and accessibility introduce security risks that must be addressed before widespread adoption. Given the high value of nuclear materials, SMRs deployed in unstable regions are vulnerable to theft, sabotage and cyber threats. To mitigate these risks and build trust in nuclear energy, SMR security must incorporate advanced surveillance, real-time monitoring and robust containment strategies.

Los Alamos National Laboratories presented this challenge to student teams at Aggies Invent, an intensive design competition hosted by the College of Engineering’s Meloy Program, where one team secured first place with their innovative security framework to safeguard microreactors, ensuring they can fulfill their promise as a safe energy source.

Team Intrux developed an advanced system designed to prevent unauthorized access and protect valuable nuclear fuel. With the tagline, “Protecting the Future of Energy,” their solution integrates RFID tracking, thermal and standard cameras and AI-driven monitoring within the reactor’s transport container to detect potential threats. A network of six LiDAR sensors, door access sensors and GPS tracking ensures continuous surveillance, with real-time communication to remote response teams via satellite.

“We realized that many existing security approaches face challenges like environmental limitations, accuracy trade-offs and scalability issues. This shaped our approach by emphasizing the need for multi-layered verification, sensor fusion and real-time adaptability,” explained Vobugari Raja Karthik, computer science graduate student and team member.

“Instead of relying on a single method, we explored how combining different technologies could enhance reliability and performance,” Karthik said.

The team prioritized commercial viability, presenting a detailed cost breakdown with a projected cost of just $17,000.

Intrux recognizes the potential of its innovation and is exploring opportunities to refine it further and implement it in real-world scenarios.

“Our solution is highly feasible,” said Alex Alcott, general engineering student and team member. “Intrux combines existing technology in a novel way, ensuring adaptability and holding the potential to significantly improve microreactor safety while expanding access to secure nuclear energy.”

Through the Meloy Program’s partnerships with industry, engineering students are given the invaluable opportunity to collaborate for 48 hours with multidisciplinary teams to tackle real-world engineering challenges. This unique environment fosters constructive feedback and valuable connections, enabling students to refine their ideas with expert guidance from faculty and professionals.

“Aggies Invent is one of the best ways to push yourself, meet incredible people and actually build something impactful in just a weekend,” said sophomore mechanical engineering student Divan Louis Begemann.

“When else do you get the chance to tackle a real-world problem with a team of passionate, creative people all working together under pressure? It’s intense, but that’s what makes it exciting. The energy in the room, the late-night brainstorming, that lightbulb moment — it’s all really worth it.”