The "smart bandage" could help solve a major problem in treating chronic wounds.

DOI: 10.3389 / fphy.2021.722173

Explanation

How can I be sure that the wound I have wrapped has healed without removing the bandage?

Generally, the bandage is removed, but this can be considered a difficult question because removing it may confuse the healing process.

In this study, we are testing a "smart bandage" that contains a sensor that can measure the moisture level of a wound very sensitively and send the data to a nearby smartphone without removing the bandage.

"PEDOT:PSS is an organic semiconducting polymer that can be easily deposited on multiple substrates as a standard ink," explains the study's author, Dr. Marta Salolo of the University of Bologna.

"We also incorporated inexpensive, disposable, bandage-compatible RFID tags into the textile patches, similar to those used in security tags for clothing. The tags can wirelessly communicate moisture level data to a smart phone, so medical staff know when their bandages need to be changed."   He even explained.