Smart bandages that can be administered by wireless control?

Researchers from the University of Nebraska and Harvard have developed a smart bandage that allows different types of drugs to be administered at random timing under radio control. The development team says it is effective in treating wounds in diabetics.

The appearance of the developed smart bandage includes a small device such as an electrode and an extension cord inside the bandage, which is closer to the bandage than the bandage. A micro-needle that can be controlled wirelessly using a smartphone-sized device is provided on the smart bandage. The micro-needle is said to be effective in reaching the deep layers of the skin while minimizing pain and inflammation. It is also possible to select a drug to be administered from among built-in drugs.

The smart bandage is a device that is mainly intended for diabetics. Diabetes with a chronic lack of insulin is difficult to treat even small wounds in diabetic patients, where insulin deficiency promotes the breakdown of proteins necessary for wound healing, and sometimes the wound may become severe. In the United States, complications from healing wounds, not diabetic patients, are a problem, and it is said that millions of patients each year suffer from serious complications such as limb amputation.

In the treatment of wounds in diabetic patients, different drugs should be administered depending on the progression of cell regeneration. This is why smart bandages are designed to be able to administer other drugs. In addition, wireless control allows patients to take medication without having to visit a medical institution or a doctor to visit the patient.

The research team also experimented with wearing a smart bandage on diabetic mice with skin scars. As a result of the experiment, the wound of the rat was cured and no scar was seen. As a result, the researchers argue that smart bandages can significantly improve the speed and quality of diabetic wound healing and significantly reduce the rate at which wounds become chronic. The research team is said to have applied for a technology patent related to smart bandages. Related information can be found here .