Sentinel: concrete block that senses earthquake damage

Filipino structural engineer Aldrei Ong, a De La Salle University graduate, has developed Sentinel, a concrete block that works as a damage sensor for buildings. The invention won the 2026 Global Sustainability award of the James Dyson Award, which comes with P2,390,230 for further development, Manila Standard reported on November 4, 2026. manilastandard.net

After an earthquake in the Philippines, families, students, workers and patients often wait for engineers to say whether a home, school, hospital or church is safe to enter. The article cites an estimate that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake could kill 48,000 people and cause $48 billion in losses across Greater Metro Manila. Cracks inside concrete are hard to see, so engineers rely on visual inspections and specialist tests, which can be slow and costly when many buildings need checking at once. manilastandard.net

How Sentinel works

Sentinel starts with the small concrete block that holds steel reinforcing bars in place during construction. Ong made it from concrete mixed with materials that conduct electricity. When the concrete cracks, even deep inside, current flows through it differently. manilastandard.net

A small electronic module wired to the block tracks this change and compares it with the block's original reading. If something shifts significantly, the module sends a signal over the internet to a dashboard, where engineers can check a building's condition remotely. Because the sensor replaces a block builders already use, it can go into new buildings without a separate structural part, and its low cost makes installation in large numbers easier. manilastandard.net

The idea grew out of Ong's master's research on concrete that senses its own damage. Over more than a year he mixed, cured and tested more than 125 concrete samples to study how their electrical behavior changes under load and cracking. manilastandard.net

Testing and next steps

Sentinel sensors are already embedded in a building in the Philippines for real-world testing. Ong plans to keep validating the technology, replace its hand-soldered electronics with a custom printed circuit board and develop versions that can be fitted to existing buildings. manilastandard.net

His adviser, structural engineering professor Bernardo Lejano, said he expects Sentinel to become a required part of reinforced concrete structures someday. James Dyson said the device turns an existing construction part into a low-cost sensor that gives early warning of damage. manilastandard.net

This year's global honors are shared with Rumble Rims, the Global Medical winner. The low-cost headset, developed by Harvard University students Radhika Saran, Cleo Pontone and Sophia DeVito, tracks eye movements with infrared light to give sideline staff an objective concussion check. manilastandard.net

Aldrei Ong's Sentinel concrete block senses hidden damage; sensors now in a Philippine building

How Sentinel works

Testing and next steps

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