Projects involving solar cells, heart monitoring funded through NSSN Grand Challenge program

Seven teams have been awarded a total of $446,426 in grants from the NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) through the organisation’s Grand Challenge Fund, with industry partners contributing a further $450,000 to projects.

The teams include those using sensing technologies for bee hive health monitoring, forestry fuel monitoring, and ”rapid microwave annealing for ultra-low-cost perovskite solar cells”. (Summaries of the seven projects are reproduced below.)

According to a statement from the NSSN, its grand challenges program responds to “some of the most complex challenges facing the environment, economy and society” using smart sensors. It covers five themes – ageing, natural hazards, clean tech, water and smart places and buildings – and offers grants up to $100,000.

“We are impressed by the high quality and innovative projects from within our network of universities and are excited about the impact these projects will have,” said NSSN Co-Director, Professor Benjamin Eggleton (pictured) in a statement on Friday.

Funded projects:

Meaningful Measures in the Home led by the University of Newcastle, partnering with UTS and industry partners Hospital In Your Home, My Medic Watch, Intelicare Holdings Ltd, Vlepis, Hills and United for Care.
SOUND-BITES: Integrating Hearing Checks and Education on Hearing Loss and Hearing Sensing Technologies within Meals on Wheels (MoW) Services led by Macquarie University, partnering with University of Newcastle and industry partners Sound Scouts, Cochlear and Meals on Wheels.
A New Sensor-based Monitoring System for the Early Detection and Improved Management of Heart Failure led by Western Sydney University, partnering with University of Sydney and industry partner Medical Monitoring Solutions.
Biosensing Technologies for Hive Health Monitoring led by Macquarie University, partnering with ANU and University of Sydney and industry partners LB Agtech Holdings Pty Ltd.
Revolutionizing Indoor Sensor Power: Rapid Microwave Annealing for Ultra-low-cost Perovskite Solar Cells led by Macquarie University in partnership with UNSW and industry partner Halocell Energy Ltd.
Real Time Fuel Moisture Monitoring Using Low-cost Internet of Things Devices led by ANU, partnering with Western Sydney University, industry partner Indicium Dynamics, and government partners Forestry Corporation of NSW and ACT Parks & Conservation Service.
OysterGuard: Precision Water Quality Monitoring System to Safeguard Against Oyster Mortality led by University of Wollongong in partnership with Macquarie University and industry partner Oceanfarmr Pty Ltd.