In a bid to improve road safety, a new manufacturing research collaboration is developing innovative geotechnical sensors that will monitor the health of Australia’s coastal roadways.

Geoinventions Consulting Services, in collaboration with Griffith University and supported by IMCRC, has secured $420,000 in cash and in-kind funding to prototype the novel sensors using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology for smart highway applications.

Once developed, the multi-functional sensors will measure the stress-strain behaviour and soil-infrastructure interaction of roadways to identify potential risks and safety issues.

Barry Kok, Geoinventions’ Operations Director, said the IMCRC activate collaboration would connect Geoinventions with the Industry 4.0 capability needed to deliver the first-ever Australian-made MEMS geotechnical sensors.

“This project will help pave the way for Geoinventions to establish itself as a leading Australian geotechnical consultant and instrument manufacturer in collaboration with Australian manufacturers,” he said.

“It will also be a catalyst for Geoinventions to migrate from using the conventional ‘one sensor, one location’ ‘vibrating wire’ sensor technology to the proposed ‘multi-sensors, one location’ efficient MEMS-driven sensor technology. This will empower Geoinventions to push boundaries in the competitive business world and make an impact in national and international scenes currently dominated by European and US entities.”