“We think thread-based devices could potentially be used as smart sutures for surgical implants, smart bandages to monitor wound healing, or integrated with textile or fabric as personalized health monitors and point-of-care diagnostics”, study corresponding author Sameer Sonkusale, Ph.D., director of the interdisciplinary Nano Lab in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Tufts University’s School of Engineering, said in the news release.
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Alerting doctors when bed sores become infected could also be a significant benefit, he said, adding: “A few years down the line I would hope to see these sutures being routinely used for all kinds of things in hospitals”.
The “dipped” thread emits the different measured levels to the doctor’s phone and computer, thanks to a wireless electronic circuitry.
Engineers from Tufts University in MA have developed a medical thread with embedded sensors that can wirelessly transmit diagnostic data to a computer or mobile device.
They say the thread-based diagnostic sensors could be an effective in.
The researchers have attached to the thread an extremely thin wire that transmits data to a portable device.
Nano-scale sensors and electronics are infused into the thread, which can be made of cotton or synthetic material, by dipping it into a variety of physical and sensing compounds. Until now, the structure of substrates for implantable devices has essentially been two-dimensional, limiting their usefulness to flat tissue such as skin.
The thread has the ability to adapt to complex structures like organs and orthopedic implants indicating that this feature could counter issues associated with wearable and diagnostic devices-flexibility.
While the initial research appears hopeful, the researchers do concede that more work needs to be done, most notably in the area of long-term biocompatibility. Together, these threads enable researchers to monitor physiological parameters and tissue health, including pressure, stress, strain, and temperature, according to a paper published Monday in the journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering.
Another drawback is that, in many cases, the materials in the 2-D substrates are expensive and require specialized processing.
The researchers are also testing whether the threads can be used to deliver drugs to tissue but have yet to analyze their results.
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The research was supported partially by the National Science Foundation Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) through grant number EFRI-1240443.
