Smartphone-Controlled Bandage

A high-tech bandage that can sense infection and deliver medications has been shown to regenerate skin tissue in mice three times faster than a standard dressing. The device could someday be used to heal chronic skin sores (such as those caused by diabetes) or to treat wounds sustained in combat.

The new bandage is made up of electrically conductive fibers coated with a hydrogel, which can be loaded with a variety of medications, including antibiotics, growth factors, and painkillers. Unlike existing “smart” bandages that passively release medications over time, the new bandage contains a microcontroller that can be triggered by a smartphone to send a small current through specific fibers. As a fiber heats up, the hydrogel releases the appropriate drug, providing precise control of dosing and scheduling of medications.

The researchers have also embedded sensors into the bandage that monitor temperature, pH, and other indicators of inflammation or infection. The goal is to develop a bandage that autonomously delivers whatever therapy is needed.