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At ICECOM 2026 (25th International Conference on Applied Electromagnetics and Communications, Dubrovnik, 28–30 September 2026), Prof. Antonio Šarolić organised and chaired the special session “Coaxial Sensors for Dielectric Characterization of Biological Materials”.

The session presented research by the Chair of Applied Electromagnetics and RF Electronics group: multi-tissue dielectric brain phantoms based on NaCl and glucose solutions, microwave sensing of glucose and NaCl concentration with an open-ended coaxial probe, and a resonance-based coaxial sensor made from off-the-shelf components. Group members presented four papers in total, all acknowledging the support of the ZIDI project.

List of published papers:

1. A. Šarolić, V. Šipalo, M. Paradžik, and D. Žanić, “Challenges in developing multi-tissue brain dielectric phantoms using NaCl and glucose in GHz range,” in Proc. 25th Int. Conf. Appl. Electromagn. Commun. (ICECom), Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sept. 28–30, 2026.
2. M. Paradžik, V. Šipalo, V. Čikeš Čulić, and A. Šarolić, “Microwave glucose sensing in aqueous solutions at physiologically relevant concentrations using an open-ended coaxial probe,” in Proc. 25th Int. Conf. Appl. Electromagn. Commun. (ICECom), Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sept. 28–30, 2026.
3. V. Šipalo, M. Paradžik, V. Čikeš Čulić, A. Granić, and A. Šarolić, “Microwave NaCl concentration sensing in body-fluid-relevant aqueous solutions using an open-ended coaxial probe,” in Proc. 25th Int. Conf. Appl. Electromagn. Commun. (ICECom), Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sept. 28–30, 2026.
4. D. Žanić, A. Šarolić, and I. Marinović, “A feasibility study of a resonance-based coaxial sensor made from off-the-shelf components for dielectric characterization of biological materials,” in Proc. 25th Int. Conf. Appl. Electromagn. Commun. (ICECom), Dubrovnik, Croatia, Sept. 28–30, 2026.

Contracts have been signed for three industrial research and development (IRI) projects involving members of the ZIDI project team:

• Development of an AI-based system for autonomous inspection and detection of damage and changes on working machinery – applicant Uprent, partner FESB, FESB project leader Prof. Mladen Russo, 1 October 2025 – 30 September 2028.
• Development of innovative AI agents for smart management of digital documents and signatures as an upgrade of the Doctavian cloud DMS platform – applicant Maven Mule d.o.o., partner FESB, FESB project leader Prof. Ljiljana Šerić, 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028.
• HospitalityInSky & HealthInSky – research and development of two innovative AI platforms – applicant InSky Solutions d.o.o., partner FESB, FESB project leader Assoc. Prof. Maja Braović, 1 September 2026 – 1 March 2029.

The projects link research results with industry and confirm the applicability of the AI models developed within ZIDI.

Marjan Sikora, a member of the ZIDI project team, took part in the Silenzi in Croatia research of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb, carried out in Paklenica National Park in collaboration with researchers from University College London and the University of Trento.

The soundwalk took place on 1 May 2026. Participants gathered at 10:00 at the start of the Pjeskarica educational trail and walked an 11 km route through the Velika Paklenica canyon, with an ascent of about 350 m and a total duration of about 5 hours. During the walk the research team recorded and measured the sound environment, while participants shared their subjective experience of the landscape through questionnaires.

The workshop “Assessment and Preservation of the Sound Environment in National Parks” was held on 2 May 2026 in the hall of the Paklenica National Park public institution. It was opened by Dr Gordana Lukač with a lecture on the sound of Velebit’s avifauna, and led by research teams from UNIZG Faculty of Architecture (Tamara Zaninović, Ana Sopina, Klara Kranjčec), UCL (Tin Oberman) and the University of Trento (Simone Torresin, Giacomo Gozzi).

Both activities were carried out within the institutional project MOJprostor / MYspace, led by Assist. Prof. Tamara Zaninović, following the Silenzi in Quota initiative from the Dolomites. The participation relates to the research and development of the VITA telemedicine platform and new simulation methods. More about the event: Silenzi in Croatia.

On 4 February 2026, the grant agreement for the project ZIDI – Scientific Excellence for Societal Challenges was officially handed over.

The agreement was accepted by the project coordinator, Prof. Ljiljana Šerić, together with members of the project team. This event marks the formal start of the project.

On 22 December 2025, a ceremony was held in Zagreb for the official handover of the Grant Agreement financed from the Competitiveness and Cohesion Programme 2021–2027.

The agreement was handed over by Marija Vučković, MSc, Minister of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, to the Dean of FESB, Prof. Branimir Lela. It was awarded for the project “Fire Digital Twin: Operational Risk Calculation and Recommendation System for Split-Dalmatia County”, led by Prof. Ljiljana Šerić.

The project builds on the environmental risk management research within the ZIDI project.

Photo source: FESB.

The project has officially started.

Next steps include launching work packages and establishing shared research infrastructure.