Welcome back to 2026, and to the first edition of The Sensor for the year. There’s still time to apply for the NSSN Grand Challenge Fund 2026, supporting bold, collaborative research that uses smart sensing to tackle Australia’s toughest challenges, from climate resilience to healthy ageing and sustainable cities. Join us for an informational interactive webinar on 3 February (register via the link below). Applications close 24 February.
In this issue of The Sensor, we spotlight smart sensing breakthroughs across health, disaster resilience and wildlife conservation.
The Sensor - February 2026
A map to help Sydneysiders with sensory sensitivities navigate the city
A UNSW study by Dr Fatemeh Aminpour shows crowded, noisy and visually complex city spaces can make everyday journeys exhausting for neurodivergent people. She proposes a crowdsourced sensory map, combining sensors that measure noise, light and crowding with lived-experience data, to help cities design more inclusive public spaces.
Project 'Airbear' tech could help predict best koala habitats from the sky
University of Sydney researchers led by Professor Mathew Crowther have used hyperspectral airborne imagery and machine learning to identify eucalyptus tree species and leaf nutrition favoured by koalas, enabling large-scale mapping of high-quality habitats. The approach could transform conservation.
This University of Wollongong researcher is developing wearable organic semiconductor sensors which operate reliably in extreme ionising radiation, enabling real-time, on-body dose monitoring during medical imaging and cancer treatment. Dr Posar’s research will improve patient safety and support clinicians, and deliver broader impacts across nuclear science, space and advanced materials.
The project which is turning mobile signals into flood intelligence
Dr Kai Wu from the University of Technology Sydney is leading a project that turns everyday mobile signals into real-time rainfall intelligence. The project was developed through the Connectivity Innovation Network’s Sensing for Disasters program with the NSSN.
This year we’re introducing a new feature highlighting sensing innovations from around the world.
We kick off with Honda, which has explored how sensors on vehicles could be used to identify potholes, poor lane markings and missing signage.
Researchers have highlighted the rise of AI-driven photonic noses, which can capture detailed chemical fingerprints and interpret them with remarkable accuracy, opening up new possibilities in environmental monitoring, agriculture and healthcare.
Chinese researchers have built the world’s first long-distance quantum sensor network for dark matter detection, linking laboratories 300 km apart and achieving record sensitivity to possible axion signals.
Our quarterly Sensing Industry Connect is a networking event aimed at providing manufacturers, designers, developers, deployers or researchers of smart sensing a space to build valuable relationships. It will be held at the University of Sydney.
Abstract submissions are now open for the Australian Future Sensing Conference in Melbourne. This is the premier event for the Sensors & Biosensors community in Australia.
