New Invention Could Revolutionize Wound Care

A new invention could make life a little easier for millions of people worldwide who suffer from chronic wounds. This high-tech smart monitor is expected to make wound care more efficient and cost-effective while reducing rates of chronic infection. 

“The device, invented by researchers at RMIT University in Australia, is a patch equipped with Bluetooth sensors that is placed on a patient’s wound underneath the main dressing,” said Peter Francis Mathew Elango, lead inventor and research fellow in RMIT’s School of Engineering. “This solution allows clinicians to monitor their patients’ wounds continuously and remotely.”

“Going forward, this technology is poised to radically revolutionize wound care,” Elango said. “We expect it to shift the standard of care from being reactive to being proactive.”

Healthcare professionals currently must physically remove a wound’s dressing for assessment. This means problems are only caught during intermittent checks, potentially delaying crucial interventions. Also, every time the dressing is removed, the wound is exposed, increasing the risk of infection. 
 

From reactive to proactive care

The RMIT researchers invented the smart wound monitor to solve these issues. The device provides clinicians with real-time data without disturbing the wound, leading to more timely interventions, reduced infection rates, and a significant decrease in the burden on patients and the healthcare system. An article about the device was recently published in Advanced NanoBiomed Research. 

“We developed it as an all-in-one system-on-chip [SoC] built onto a flexible, wireless patch,” Elango said. “The idea is to get a complete picture of the wound’s health using what we call a triangulated approach.”

The flexible patch contains four distinct sensors that measure three key healing indicators, providing that triangulated view. The indicators are pH, temperature, and inflammation. The sensors measure two critical inflammation biomarkers—C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6). 

Relevant Reads: Fluorine-Free Polymer Redefines Wearable Tech

On the chip, a tiny microcontroller cycles through each sensor, taking a reading every 30 seconds. An amplifier then prepares these signals for transmission. 

A Bluetooth low-energy chip digitizes the sensor data and transmits it wirelessly to an Android app called FMM Connect. The app interprets the raw data, allowing a healthcare provider to see the wound’s status at a glance and track its healing progress over time. 
 

Four sensors, one smart system

“This entire system allows for continuous, real-time monitoring without ever needing to touch the patient or their dressing,” Elango said.

The multiplexed, all-in-one SoC is one of the traits that makes this monitor so innovative. It’s the first device to simultaneously track four critical healing parameters—pH, temperature, CRP, and IL-6—on a single, flexible SoC. This gives a far more complete and accurate assessment of wound health than single-parameter devices. 

“The core of our innovation lies in our patented, RMIT-developed high-resistivity silicon-based biosensors,” Elango said. “These sensors are incredibly sensitive, capable of detecting very low concentrations of biomarkers in under 10 minutes.” 

Since the device is reusable, it is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than disposable smart bandages and other emerging technologies. In addition, it is built with biocompatible materials and easily fits into existing manufacturing processes.

Discover the Benefits of ASME Membership

This practicality, combined with a cost of less than $5 per unit at scale, makes it a highly viable commercial product. Another critical component of the device is its flexibility.  

“For reliable data, the sensors need to be in constant, intimate contact with the wound site. A rigid device would be uncomfortable and couldn’t guarantee this contact on a curved body part,” Elango said. “We addressed this by building the entire system on a flexible platform that conforms perfectly to the skin, ensuring both patient comfort and the collection of high-quality, reliable data.” 

Elango said he expects the use of this smart wound monitor to become standard practice in the next 10 years. This new core sensor technology has applications beyond wound care as well.  

“Our patented high-resistivity silicon platform has already been proven to be highly effective at detecting various biomarkers related to different ailments. This is a versatile platform technology,” Elango said. “This project is a powerful demonstration of a platform that can be adapted to a wide range of future medical diagnostic and monitoring devices.” 

Claudia Hoffacker is an independent writer in Minneapolis.