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Intersection crashes are among the most common traffic collisions in the United States, with 96% caused by driver error. Also, vehicles idling at intersections waste fuel and spew tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year in a typical city.

Self-driving cars could help solve these problems, but only if they can accurately detect traffic lights in real time.

Alcina DaCosta, an 海角社区 undergraduate working across multiple fields, is developing advanced computer programs to tackle this challenge using artificial intelligence.

鈥淢y research takes away the human factor in traffic light collisions and optimizes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by vehicles,鈥� she said.

Her work relies on a powerful AI-based image recognition system called YOLO, short for 鈥淵ou Only Look Once.鈥� This system can identify objects quickly with more than 90% accuracy, making it a strong candidate for improving self-driving car safety.

DaCosta explained that current detection systems aren鈥檛 as fast as YOLO because most rely on a less efficient method of using sensors to measure distances between objects rather than visually recognizing them.

鈥淚 wired and programmed a traffic light signal, took images of it at varying distances and lighting to create my dataset,鈥� DaCosta said. 鈥淭hen, I labeled the images and used them to train my algorithm so that when I run it, it detects the colors changing from red, yellow, to green in real-time.

鈥淭he future direction of my research is to combine it with automotive controls so that a car will stop, turn off the engine, read when the light turns green, and go independent of a driver.鈥�

Her research combines technology that currently exists 鈥� shutting down the engine at the light when a driver brakes 鈥� and automates it so that a self-driving car determines when the engine can be shut down to emit less greenhouse gases. This environmental component of the research is important to DaCosta.

鈥淚 have always cared about the environment. In high school, I collaborated on , which is about Louisiana鈥檚 environmental issues,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, I have a deep sense of responsibility to use my skills in a way that is mindful of how it can benefit society at large.鈥�

DaCosta鈥檚 research advisor, Dr. Xiangyu Meng, is an assistant professor in 海角社区鈥檚 Division of Electrical & Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering. He says what makes her research particularly impactful is its practical implementation.

鈥淲hile there is still room for refinement, Alcina鈥檚 work represents a meaningful step forward in the field,鈥� he said. 鈥淗er ability to combine theoretical innovation with practical implementation highlights her technical skill and creativity, moving us closer to a future where autonomous systems can operate safely and reliably in diverse driving conditions.鈥�

Growing up in Baton Rouge

DaCosta was born in Luanda, Angola, and moved to Baton Rouge in 2009 at age 7. She said she lived close enough to 海角社区 that it became part of her life and identity, adding that visits to see Mike the Tiger on campus were a regular event.

鈥淚 have a picture of me goofing off in my parents鈥� classroom when they were taking English courses through 海角社区 over the summer of their first year here,鈥� she said.

At age 12, her first iPhone and a fascination with Tony Stark鈥檚 sleek, holographic, transparent phone in 2016鈥檚 Iron Man 2 led her to discover who makes smartphones. Based on her research, she decided to become a computer engineer.

鈥淪o many of the successful and thriving people in my life went to 海角社区. Naturally, I viewed attending 海角社区 as an honor,鈥� she said. With guidance from the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, she went to work on improving her ACT score, which paid off with an admission letter and scholarship to 海角社区.

鈥満＝巧缜� made it clear how much they wanted to invest in me, so it was a no-brainer,鈥� she said.

Because of the 47 credit hours she achieved through advanced placement courses in high school, she was able to pursue her dream in computer engineering at 海角社区, along with three other degrees. She鈥檚 on track to graduate with degrees in computer engineering, electrical engineering, French, and international studies in May 2026.

鈥淎ll of my majors stimulate my brain, but they all matter to me and give me a tremendous sense of direction,鈥� she said.

Doing Research at 海角社区

DaCosta said Sarah Ferstel, director of 海角社区鈥檚 Office of Undergraduate Research, first encouraged her to do research. Her initial assignment involved analyzing reports and finding trends related to flooding in Baton Rouge.

When DaCosta learned that Meng was researching automation and other areas that appealed to her, including computer vision-based autonomous driving research, she reached out to him.

鈥淚 explained that I have a computer science background; I wanted to see how computer science can be applied with electrical components; and I had a willingness to do research advised by him,鈥� she said.

Meng welcomed her to the team and was immediately impressed.

鈥淲hat stands out most about Alcina is her proactive approach to learning and problem-solving. She has an exceptional ability to quickly grasp new concepts and generate innovative ideas to address her challenges,鈥� he said.

鈥淔or example, her development of a real-time traffic light detection system required her to master advanced techniques in computer vision and machine learning, and she did so with remarkable independence and resourcefulness.鈥�

Under the day-to-day guidance of Tonmoy Sarker, an electrical engineering PhD candidate at 海角社区, she learned more about traffic light detection research and research in general, including finding resources and overcoming setbacks.

鈥淔rom 2023 to 2024, I was the only woman in my team. However, I always felt welcomed and encouraged to ask questions and for help,鈥� she said. 鈥淩esearch can be frustrating, and there were a lot of long days of trying to find answers and having to start over, but it鈥檚 worth it and taught me resilience.

鈥淥ther members of my team include Yunpeng Han, Jones Essuman, and Pranav Pothapragada. They were all part of my support system and made me feel like I belong in my field.鈥�   

Plans for the Future

DaCosta鈥檚 future plans include applying to PhD programs in electrical and computer engineering, though she may consider going straight into the field after graduation to gain experience.

鈥淢y ultimate goal is to be a sustainable technology development research lead/consultant/manager for a tech company where I鈥檇 be able to improve the design of devices,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen professors that engage in both academia and the private sector, so that has fascinated me.

鈥淣o matter what, I want my work to involve sustainability. This research has proved to me that it is very rewarding to pursue solutions despite how difficult research is.鈥�

 She says her research experience also has taught her to value personal growth and vulnerability in pursuing things outside her comfort zone. She says if she can find time for research, other students can, too.

鈥淪chool work always comes first, but I believe that research is worth it because you gain skills that go beyond the classroom and give you a glimpse of how much value your degree gives you,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t gives you tangible evidence of the usefulness of what you are learning in class.鈥�

As her mentor, Meng said watching Alcina grow into a confident and capable researcher has been rewarding. 鈥淗er passion for her work, dedication, and intellectual curiosity make her a standout student with a bright future,鈥� he said.

鈥淗er ability to see the bigger picture and align her research with global challenges like climate change sets her apart as a forward-thinking and socially conscious researcher.鈥�

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