Smart bandages use nanosensors to ‘shine’ when there is an infection

After the wound is cleaned and patched, covered with a bandage, more often than not, must remain in place for a while to protect the wounds from the pathogen. Although cleaned, however, there is always the possibility of infection to be formed, and that’s where a new type of bandage is ‘smart’ in.

Smart bandages are intended to diagnose infections when they begin to form, give doctors the opportunity to treat this problem before it becomes a bigger problem. The system works by combining small nanosensors in fiber bandages; This sensor consists of a single-walled carbon nanotube that takes on hydrogen peroxide, which is produced when there are dangerous bacteria available.

When the nanosensor takes on hydrogen peroxide, their fluorescence changes in a method that can be detected using ‘devices that can be used by miniatures,’ according to the researchers. This device will send a warning to the user’s smart phone wirelessly to notify them that medical attention may be needed.

Smart bandages can be very useful for diabetics whose wonds need longer to recover and are more likely to form infections. By identifying the possibility of previous infections, this can allow doctors to treat problems early and potentially save patients from more drastic results, including things like amputations.

Additional research on smart bandages is needed, with the next step becomes a phase that involves verifying technology using Petri dishes full of the same cell type that you find in meat wounds. Tests have involves small bandages as shown above, but the researchers note that the same nanosensor can be used in large bandages as well.