As an ARC Industry Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Technology Infusion, Dr Shanmuga Sundar Dhanabalan focuses on developing affordable, easy-to-use wearable devices that make healthcare simpler, enable earlier diagnosis, and improve accessibility, particularly for people living in rural and remote communities.
Dr Dhanabalan leads the Soft Electronics, Materials, and Sensors (SEMS) Research Group in the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at La Trobe University, where his team develops flexible, stretchable sensors and wearable devices for continuous, real-time health monitoring. Working closely with industry and clinical partners, the team has developed smart mattresses for elderly care, wearable heart-monitoring systems, non-invasive glucose sensors, and fall-prevention technologies. They are also developing smart menstrual pads and point-of-care devices for the early detection of conditions such as anaemia, diabetes, and endometriosis, bringing healthcare closer to everyday life.
Dr Dhanabalan believes that the greatest reward is seeing engineering move beyond the laboratory and into people’s homes, where it can detect health problems early and make healthcare more proactive, affordable, and accessible for everyone.