The new smart bandage allows doctors to monitor patients with chronic wounds remotely through a mobile application, thereby reducing examination and testing time.
The smart bandage helps reduce examination time. (Video: Reuters)
A research team at the National University of Singapore has developed a wearable sensor embedded in a transparent bandage to monitor the healing process, using information such as temperature, type of bacteria, pH levels, and infection status.
“Typically, when someone has a wound or skin ulcer, if that area is infected, the only way to check is through careful observation,” said Chwee Teck Lim, the lead researcher at the biomedical engineering department of the National University of Singapore. “If doctors want more information, they need to take a sample for further testing. Therefore, what we are doing is using smart bandages to reduce the testing time from several hours or days to just a few minutes.”
The bandage is being tested on patients with venous ulcers or leg ulcers.
The technology “VeCare” will allow patients to recover more at home and only visit the doctor when necessary. The bandage is currently being tested on patients with venous ulcers or leg ulcers due to circulatory issues in the blood vessels. Researchers are collecting data from the wounds very effectively. According to Lim, the smart bandage can also be used for other types of wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers.
