Filipino science continues to flourish on the global stage. After six years, the Philippines brings home the 2026 James Dyson Award Global Sustainability Award thanks to Sentinel, the invention of young Filipino structural engineer and De La Salle University graduate Aldrei Ong. Sentinel is a low-cost building damage sensor designed to reveal hidden structural damage after earthquakes.

Filipino invention Sentinel bags 2026 James Dyson Award Global Sustainability Award

Before Aldrei’s win, the last Filipino inventor who won the award was Carvey Ehren Maigue in 2020 with AuREUS, a system for walls and windows that uses materials derived from upcycled crop waste to absorb stray ultraviolet light and convert it into renewable electricity.

The recognition is especially significant in the earthquake-prone Philippines, where the danger does not end when the shaking stops. Families, students, workers, and patients may still have to wait for engineers to determine whether homes, schools, offices, hospitals, and places of worship are safe to enter. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake could cause an estimated 48,000 deaths and USD 48 billion in economic losses across Greater Metro Manila.

Earthquakes can cause cracks and internal damage to concrete structures that are not immediately visible, meaning determining whether a building is safe often relies on visual inspections and specialist testing. Following a major earthquake, when many buildings may need to be assessed at once, this process can be slow, costly, and disruptive. While buildings commonly have systems such as smoke detectors and fire alarms to monitor other safety risks, structural damage is still often identified through periodic inspection rather than continuous monitoring.

What is Sentinel and what does it do?

Aldrei is helping to prevent building collapses following earthquakes. Sentinel turns a standard concrete spacer block, a component already used to hold reinforcing steel in position during construction, into a low-cost sensor capable of detecting hidden cracks and internal damage.

Sentinel is made from self-sensing concrete containing conductive materials that allow electricity to pass through the block. When the concrete cracks or is damaged, its electrical resistance changes, providing a measurable indication of potential damage. Embedded electrodes connect each block to a small electronic module, which monitors these changes against the sensor’s original reading. If a significant change is detected, the data is sent wirelessly to an online dashboard, allowing engineers to remotely monitor a building’s condition over time.

James Dyson, Founder of Dyson, said: “After an earthquake, serious damage inside a concrete building can be invisible – and potentially fatal. Aldrei’s Sentinel cleverly turns a component already used in construction into a low-cost sensor that detects cracks and gives early warning of damage. It’s an ingenious solution that could catch problems before they become costly and, more importantly, stop people living or working in buildings at risk of collapse.”

On winning the James Dyson Award, Aldrei Ong said: “Becoming the Global Sustainability Winner of the James Dyson Award means a great deal to me, not only because of the impact Sentinel could have, but because it affirms what persistence, curiosity and a willingness to keep improving can achieve. The journey was full of doubt, frustration and failure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This recognition gives me the confidence to keep pushing Sentinel forward, with the ambition of making buildings safer and helping people better understand the structures they depend on.”

Dr Bernardo Lejano, Professor of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering: “I am very glad that Aldrei continued his research into self-sensing concrete beyond his master’s degree, developing it into an innovative and sustainable structural health monitoring system that could save lives and protect property. I believe it won’t be long before Sentinel becomes a mandatory component of reinforced concrete structures, enabling quicker assessments of structural safety. I hope Aldrei’s achievement will inspire many young engineers to think outside the box.”

What’s next for Aldrei Ong and Sentinel?

With Sentinel, Aldrei will receive PHP 2,390,230 to further develop the invention.

Sentinel has been designed with affordability in mind, making it easier to install at scale. Because it transforms a component already used in reinforced concrete construction, Sentinel can be incorporated into buildings as they are built without adding a separate structural element.

Aldrei developed Sentinel through master’s research into self-sensing concrete. Over more than a year, he mixed, cured, and tested more than 125 concrete samples to refine the material and understand how its electrical resistance responds to loading and cracking.

Sentinel sensors are now embedded in a building in the Philippines for real-world monitoring. After winning the James Dyson Award, Aldrei plans to continue validating the technology, replace its hand-soldered electronics with a custom printed circuit board and develop versions that could be fitted to existing buildings.

The global winners of the 2026 James Dyson Award

Sentinel is also joined by Rumble Rims as the 2026 Global Medical Winner. Developed by Harvard University students Radhika Saran, Cleo Pontone and Sophia DeVito, Rumble Rims is a low-cost infrared eye-tracking headset designed to bring objective concussion screening to the sidelines and help inform safer return-to-play decisions.

James Dyson said: “This year’s global winners, Sentinel and Rumble Rims, tackle serious dangers to life and health with remarkably simple ideas. They could save lives – and that kind of bold thinking is exactly what I hoped to encourage when I created the James Dyson Award 21 years ago. Both are very worthy winners.”

Now in its 21st year, the James Dyson Award received a record 2,294 entries from 28 countries and regions in 2026 – the highest number of entries to date.

This article is a press release. Minor edits have been made by the 8List.ph editorial team.

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