If you’ve ever gotten a cut, you would usually apply a bandage which is designed to help prevent the wound from getting infected by outside contaminants. However this also means that you have no idea how well the wound is healing until you take it off, or if (touch wood) it might actually be getting worse.That could change in the future thanks to researchers who have been working on smart bandages that have 5G wireless connectivity. This wireless connection means that not only can the bandages monitor the progress of the healing, but it can also transmit data wirelessly to doctors. From there doctors will know whether or not to ask you to come in for a new dressing, or if it could be time for it to take it off, or if another method of treatment is necessary.
If this sounds futuristic, it does, but the good news is that the future could soon be a reality as the Swansea University will be putting these smart bandages to the test in the next 12 months. According to Prof Marc Clement, chairman of the Institute of Life Science at Swansea University, “You combine all of that intelligence so the clinician knows the performance of the specific wound at any specific time and can then tailor the treatment protocol to the individual and wound in question.”
He adds, “Traditional medicine may be where a clinician might see a patient and then prescribe the treatment approach for a month or three months. What the future holds is a world where there’s the ability to vary the treatment to the individual, the lifestyle and the pattern of life.”
Filed in . Read more about Health and Wearable Tech.