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Bandage prototype glows when wound infected

Posted at 8:32 AM, Dec 07, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-07 08:32:54-05

Adhesive bandages help heal wounds, but what if they could do so much more?

The goal of a new smart bandage is to detect problems early.

As first reported by MIT Technology Review, scientists at the University of Bath are working on a color-changing dressing to sound the alarm when it comes to infections.

In a multi-group collaboration, researchers say they have developed a prototype that glows under UV light if a wound is not healing properly.

The dressing apparently contains small, artificial cells that are broken down by toxins just like the skin as it starts to become infected.

When the artificial cells are broken down in the bandage, a dye is released—resulting in the glow.

The team was recently awarded more than one million pounds for the next phase of development.

This special bandage, researchers note, could help doctors diagnose infections early—and prevent the use of uneccesary antibiotics. 

READ MORE HERE. 

Colour-changing burns dressing will help in the fight against infection and antibiotic resistance from University of Bath on Vimeo.