Smart bandage
1. Will a smart bandage be the solution to chronic wounds?
2. What does a prototype of a smart bandage look like?
3. What else does the smart bandage come with?
Will a smart bandage be the solution to chronic wounds?
Artificial intelligence has made a good comeback in the world of medicine. We have further proof of this. Employees of Stanford University, after breakneck research and trials, invented … a bandage based on artificial intelligence. The smart bandage works on the principle of electrical stimulation and may soon come into mass use. Who is it mainly dedicated to? First of all, if we are struggling with hard-healing wounds as a result of some chronic disease, this invention can significantly alleviate our suffering. We mean mainly diabetic wounds or those caused by severe skin diseases (advanced psoriasis or atopic dermatitis). Such constantly – colloquially speaking – wounds that are open and exposed to external factors may eventually lead to the need to amputate the affected part of the body. These are, of course, extreme cases, but at some point our body may simply stop defending itself. So we can say that California scientists have developed a life-saving technology!
What does a prototype of a smart bandage look like?
The invention we are discussing was built by scientists from two layers: upper and lower. The first contains a polymer film that is 100 micrometers (0.001 millimeters) thick. Until 1967, the name “micron” for the micrometer was in common use. In Greek, “micron” means “little thing”. Electronic components are located on said layer containing a polymer film. In the bottom layer of the bandage we have a rubber hydrogel. It is sterile because we apply it directly to the wound. Scientists equipped the bandage with biosensors, which are designed to continuously monitor both the temperature and the electrical impedance of our wound. From physics lessons, we probably associate the term “impedance”.
Simply put, it is the total resistance of alternating current in a given electrical circuit. Research by workers from California proved that the mentioned current resistance increases as the wound heals. Then the temperature also decreases, because the inflammation is reduced. To put it in layman’s terms: when the data show difficulty in healing, then electrical stimulation of our wound kicks in. In this way, we are able to deliver an electrical charge of insignificant power to the tissue. We are then able to eliminate the infection in this way. In this way, we accelerate the process of keratinization, i.e. keratinization of the epidermis, which ultimately translates into wound healing.
What else does the smart bandage come with?
The discussed dressing was enriched by university scientists with an antenna, which is used for wireless communication with a smartphone. Then the doctor or guardian of the patient equipped with the bandage is able to remotely check the condition of the wound! When the bandage is not needed, we heat it to 40 degrees Celsius and our bandage will automatically separate from the wound. Research on the effectiveness of the invention scientists carried out on mice. In 25% of the tested mice, the research came out surprisingly positively, and the wounds in this number of mice actually began to heal faster. In 50 percent of the mice, healthy skin began to grow back. If we would like to use such bandages on people, we are forced to increase the size of such a dressing. In addition, only when we reduce the production costs of such bandages will we be able to implement them for everyday use. Either way, the invention in question will certainly raise the standard of wound care in the future and bring relief to a large proportion of suffering people.
