Civil structures can tell us when they feel bad, but it is necessary to design them smarter, i.e., to provide them with a nervous system that can detect when the structure is highly strained or cracked. The strain-gauge we installed on the concrete was supposed to tell us that the concrete cracked, but we didn’t really expect it to say “ouch”! We figured out that our strain-gauge was actually in distress only after looking through a magnifying glass, when we spotted his upset face and electrified hair. As he got personality, first we called him Smiley, but then we figured Jack-o'-lantern might be more appropriate. Now he is known as Smiley Jack and he says “ouch” when the structure is damaged. Isn’t he simply a great fellow who makes our structures smarter and safer?