The dressing has a microprocessor the size of a seal and can be controlled remotely through a smartphone or other device. This innovation aims to avoid infections and reduce healing time.
Developed by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Harvard Medical School and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the dressing is made from conductive cotton fibers coated with a gel in which antibiotics are incorporated, elements for tissue regeneration , analgesics and other medications.
Each fiber can be individually charged with a specific drug required for each treatment. A microcontroller, activated remotely, causes a small electrical voltage that heats the fibers and the hydrogel of the dressing and, consequently, releases the medicine in the skin.
The device is able to control each of its fibers and precisely distribute the dose of the medicines according to the prescription time of each.
"This combination and control can greatly improve and accelerate the healing process of wounds," says Ali Tamayol, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which is "a great advantage compared to other systems."
It is anticipated that the system will initially be used to treat chronic skin wounds from diabetes, which, as a rule, have a long healing process.
The dressing may also be used on soldiers wounded in combat. Because of its versatility and customization, it will serve to stimulate faster healing of bullet wounds and shrapnel or prevent the onset of infections in remote environments.
Although the system has yet to undergo several tests, researchers are also working on incorporating sensors capable of measuring glucose, pH and other health related indicators of skin tissue.