Brush-on Smart Paint.

Paint able to sense vibrations by using a fine powder of peizoelectric material has been developed by researchers at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. When this material called lead zirconate titanate or PZT is stretched or squeezed it produces an electric signal that is proportionate to the force being applied. Engineers could use the smart paint to monitor vibrations throughout the lifetime of a structure, allowing them to calculate when fatigue is becoming a problem and making possible the design of more elegant and cheaper structures. The paint is currently being tested on the Gatesheda Millennium Bridge across the Tyne.