SENSKIN · Project

Smart Skin Sensors That Detect Bridge Damage Before Collapse Happens

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Imagine wrapping a bridge in something like a giant band-aid that can feel when the structure is under stress — the way your skin feels pressure. Today's bridge sensors are like scattered thermometers: they only measure at single points and break if things stretch too far (past 1-2%). SENSKIN built a flexible, skin-like sensor sheet that covers large areas and detects tiny cracks (down to 0.012% strain) all the way up to major deformations (over 10%), plus a wireless system that keeps transmitting data even during earthquakes or storms when normal networks fail.

By the numbers

0.012% to >10%

Strain measurement range of the sensing skin

1-2%

Maximum strain range of current commercial sensors

Consortium partners

Countries represented in consortium

SMEs in the consortium

53%

Industry partner ratio

Total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Bridges and transport infrastructure age invisibly. Current monitoring relies on periodic manual inspections and point-sensors that only measure strain up to 1-2% — missing both the early warning signs of gradual deterioration and the large deformations that signal imminent failure. When communication networks fail during the exact storms and earthquakes that threaten bridges most, sensor data can be lost entirely.

The solution

What was built

A flexible, skin-like sensor sheet based on dielectric-elastomer and micro-electronics that measures strain from 0.012% to over 10% across wide surfaces. A Delay Tolerant Network for reliable data transmission during extreme events. A Decision-Support System for condition-based maintenance that evaluates life-cycle economic, social, and environmental impacts of repair options. The full package was tested on actual bridges.

Audience

Who needs this

National highway and bridge authorities responsible for ageing infrastructureRailway network operators maintaining bridge portfoliosToll-road concession companies with structural maintenance obligationsStructural health monitoring service providers looking for next-generation sensorsCivil engineering consultancies advising on infrastructure resilience

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Road & Bridge Infrastructure

enterprise

Target: National highway agencies and toll-road operators

If you are a highway authority spending millions on periodic bridge inspections — this project developed a flexible sensor skin that covers entire bridge surfaces and detects strain from 0.012% to over 10%. Instead of sending inspection crews every few years and hoping nothing was missed between visits, you get continuous real-time data on structural health, plus a decision-support system that tells you when and how to intervene.

Rail Infrastructure

enterprise

Target: Railway network operators and maintenance companies

If you are a rail operator responsible for hundreds of ageing railway bridges — this project built a monitoring package tested on actual bridges that measures structural strain across wide areas, not just at scattered points. The system works even under extreme weather when communication networks go down, using Delay Tolerant Networking to guarantee data reaches your control room.

Civil Engineering & Structural Monitoring

any

Target: Structural health monitoring service providers and engineering consultancies

If you are an SHM service provider limited by point-sensors that max out at 1-2% strain — SENSKIN developed a dielectric-elastomer sensor skin that is low-cost, easy to install on irregular surfaces, and self-monitoring. This lets you offer clients spatial coverage rather than scattered data points, with a strain range from 0.012% to over 10%, covering both routine wear and catastrophic events.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does this sensing skin cost compared to traditional sensors?

The project objective explicitly states the sensor is designed to be low-cost compared to existing sensors. However, specific per-unit pricing is not published in the available project data. A direct inquiry to the consortium would be needed for quotes.

Can this work at industrial scale on a large bridge network?

The system was designed, refined, and tested on actual bridges during the project. The sensor skin requires little power to operate and is easy to install on irregular surfaces, which supports deployment at scale. The 15-partner consortium across 8 countries provided diverse testing conditions.

What is the IP situation — can I license or buy this technology?

SENSKIN was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Horizon 2020, meaning IP typically stays with the consortium partners who developed it. With 8 industry partners including 4 SMEs in the consortium, licensing or commercial partnerships would need to be negotiated directly with the relevant partner.

What strain ranges can this actually measure?

Based on the project objective, the sensing skin measures reversible (repeated) strains from 0.012% to more than 10%. This is a major improvement over commercially available strain sensors, which cannot measure beyond 1% to 2%.

Does the system work during extreme weather or natural disasters?

Yes — the project specifically developed a Delay Tolerant Network to ensure strain measurements reach the base station even when conventional communication networks become inoperable during high winds, earthquakes, or other extreme events.

How mature is this technology — is it ready to deploy?

The monitoring system was tested, refined, evaluated, and benchmarked on actual bridges. The project ran from 2015 to 2019 and is now closed. Based on available project data, the technology reached pilot validation on real infrastructure but may need further engineering for full commercial deployment.

Consortium

Who built it

SENSKIN brought together 15 partners from 8 countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK), with a strong industry presence at 53% — meaning more than half the consortium came from the private sector. The 4 SMEs signal commercial interest from smaller, agile companies likely focused on bringing products to market. With 3 universities and 4 research organizations providing the science, and 8 industry partners handling engineering and validation, this is a well-balanced consortium built to move technology from the lab to the field. The coordinator is a Greek research institute (EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO), and the geographic spread across Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe plus the UK suggests the technology was designed for diverse infrastructure conditions.

EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTONCoordinator · EL
EGNATIA ODOS AEparticipant · EL
TRL LIMITEDparticipant · UK
MISTRAS GROUP HELLAS ANONYMOS BIOMICHANIKI KAI EMPORIKI ETAIREIAparticipant · EL
RISA SICHERHEITSANALYSEN GMBHparticipant · DE
DIMOKRITIO PANEPISTIMIO THRAKISparticipant · EL
TECNIC CONSULTING ENGINEERSparticipant · IT
FORUM DES LABORATOIRES NATIONAUX EUROPEENS DE RECHERCHE ROUTIERE FEHRLAISBLparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITAET POTSDAMparticipant · DE
TELETRONIC ROSSENDORF GMBHparticipant · DE
STATE ENTERPRISE STATE ROAD SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE NAMED AFTER M. P. SHULGINparticipant · UA
UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGARTparticipant · DE
INSTYTUT BADAWCZY DROG I MOSTOWthirdparty · PL
ENVIRONMENTAL RELIABILITY AND RISK ANALYSISparticipant · EL

How to reach the team

The coordinator is a Greek university research institute (EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON). SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the right contact within the consortium.

Order a report on this consortium See EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how SENSKIN's sensing skin technology could cut your bridge inspection costs? Contact SciTransfer for a tailored brief and introduction to the research team.

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