News Materials Science

Brainy bandages

By Aimee Cunningham

- More than 2 years ago

Infection-revealing biosensors may someday make wound care a consultation between doctor and bandage. Researchers have placed a sensing device in a wound-friendly gel and shown that the device’s color-based signaling still works.

FUTURE FIRST AID. Prototype of a bandage containing a silicon sensor. Scientists are designing a sensor that would change color to show an infection. DeLouise

The biosensors, made of silicon infiltrated with nanoscale pores, are optical devices that can be constructed to reflect only a certain color when white light hits them.