Inexpensive Disposable Smart Bandages

According to the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, chronic wounds account for $28 to $32 billion of US Medicare healthcare expenditures. The high cost is attributed to several factors such as costs associated with multiple doctor visits and bacterial infection prevention.

Smart bandages have been developed to lower wound care costs by wirelessly monitoring and preventing wound infection. Unfortunately, conventional smart bandages are expensive, uncomfortable and do not promote healing. Moreover, these bandages require trained personnel to apply and interpret the results. Therefore, there is a need for smart bandages that are patient-friendly and promote wound healing.

Ramses Martinez, associate professor of Industrial Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, and his team have developed a smart bandage, OPSB, that can assess tissue damage in open and closed wounds, promote healing through its breathable design and doesn't require medical personnel for application. OPSB real-time monitors uric acid and pH at the wound site and wirelessly communicates this information to physicians; thereby, reducing the number of visits to the doctor. OPSB can also detect and monitor pressure ulcers.

Advantages

• Wireless wound healing monitor
• Inexpensive
• Disposable Potential Applications:
• Wound care -Pressure ulcer detection

Roll-to-Roll Processing of Metallic Nanostructures Using Laser-Induced Superplasticity.

Large-scale manufacturing of metallic nanostructures is necessary to exploit their potential applications in a variety of fields such as electronics, biosciences and medical technology. Many nanopatterning processes enable the cost-effective fabrication of metallic nanostructures, but the required post-patterning steps increase the cost, complexity and processing time, reducing throughput. Additionally, these steps can affect the crystallinity, sharp corners and homogeneity of the lateral walls of the final nanostructure.

Martinez and his team have developed a manufacturing process that enables the continuous forming of thin metallic layers with nanoscale accuracy on a variety of polymeric substrates using a CO2 laser as the radiation source.

CO2 laser engravers are more conventional and cheaper than current systems in use. The process can be performed at ambient conditions, is scalable, inexpensive and uses easily fabricated nanomolds.

Nanopatterned metallic films can be attached to flexible polymeric substrates with sufficient strength for practical applications. Tuning the laser intensity enables the control of the final hardness and aspect ratio of the fabricated nanostructures. This method is versatile, cost-effective, scalable and ideal for the development of future applications of metallic nanostructures.

Advantages

• Increased Throughput
• Can be Performed at Ambient Conditions
• Scaleable -Inexpensive
• Control of Final Hardness and Aspect Ratio
• Can Attach Films to Flexible Polymeric Substrates Potential

Applications: -Electronics -Medical Devices -Aerospace and Vehicle Manufacturing -Biosensors

Martinez's research interests include nanofabrication, soft robotics, flexible electronics and optical devices, wearable and implantable devices, smart/programmable materials, photovoltaics and world health.

Publications: "Reinventing everyday items to live more efficiently," TechAcute; June 23, 2021; https://techacute.com/purdue-washable-smart-clothes/

FlexiLab website: https://engineering.purdue.edu/FlexiLab/

Congratulations to all Purdue University researchers across all campuses and academic disciplines, who received a patent on their intellectual property from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in June

Most of these innovations are available to license and bring to market. Visit the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization’s website to learn more about these and other available innovations.

Source: Purdue Research Foundation