Concrete sensor developed at Purdue wins Edison Award
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Concrete sensor technology developed by a Purdue University-affiliated startup has won another major honor. The REBEL Concrete Strength Sensing System created by WaveLogix was named a gold winner of the Edison Award in the Critical Human Infrastructure category.
The award was presented last week during the 2024 Edison Awards in Fort Myers, Florida.
Luna Lu, a professor of civil engineering at Purdue, has led the development of the technology and serves as CEO of WaveLogix.
The technology uses sensors embedded into a fresh concrete pour that measure strength levels in real time and signal when the pavement is strong enough for traffic. The goal is to expedite the construction of highways, bridges, airport runways and buildings and reduce the frequency of concrete repairs.
In a statement to Inside INdiana Business, Lu said she was honored and humbled to receive the Edison Award.
“It is truly a recognition of my team’s creativity, perseverance, and relentless pursuit of excellence,” she said. “It is also great testament to the transformative impact of REBEL sensor on the construction industry. As a professor, engineer, and entrepreneur, the Edison Award signifies not only a recognition but also a great responsibility to continue challenging the status quo and redefining what’s possible for a better future.”
WaveLogix began testing the invention last July at the future I-465 interchange to I-69 on the southwest side of Indianapolis in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The technology has been in development since 2017, when INDOT requested help from Lu and her lab at Purdue in eliminating premature failure of newly repaired concrete pavement by more accurately determining when the pavement would be ready for traffic.
The Edison Award is the latest honor the technology has earned. The sensor system was named among TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023 and Fast Company magazine’s Next Big Things in Tech for 2022.
Eric Dick contributed to this report.