🚒 University of Portland’s Burn Buddies: Safety That Thinks Ahead

For most of us, turning on a faucet or stove is routine — but for families with small children, seniors, or people with disabilities, it can be risky. That’s where Burn Buddies from the University of Portland comes in.

Created by Shoji Mori, Lucy Wu, and Evelyn Bang, Burn Buddies is an automatic valve system that prevents scalding injuries and detects leaks before they become hazards. The team’s design is as simple as it is powerful — easy to install, reliable, and potentially life-saving.

What began as an engineering project evolved into a mission to make homes safer for everyone. Burn Buddies is proof that innovation doesn’t always need to be flashy — sometimes, it just needs to solve a real problem with care.

🎥 Our Invent Oregon documentary captures the team’s thoughtful design process and the human stories that inspired their invention.

👉 Watch the full feature and discover how Burn Buddies is bringing peace of mind to households everywhere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lfj_4ZKA04&list=PLzI8p8YSTABxeqIoBasbY7fBn_32AOwZs&index=4