This Smart Surgical Thread Collects Data As Wounds Are Healing, Tufts University Study
After surgeons sew up tissue after surgery, they want to monitor in case of infection or strain. One future possibility for doing that: "smart thread" that broadcasts data from deep in the wound.
Over the last 18 months, Tufts University engineers have been developing a toolkit of threads coated with different chemicals. They can measure pH, resistance and glucose, indicating the health of the post-surgery area. The threads generate electrical outputs that are sent out through a wire to a device on the skin outside the body. From there, they can be interpreted on a cellphone.
Over the last 18 months, Tufts University engineers have been developing a toolkit of threads coated with different chemicals. They can measure pH, resistance and glucose, indicating the health of the post-surgery area. The threads generate electrical outputs that are sent out through a wire to a device on the skin outside the body. From there, they can be interpreted on a cellphone.