Photo: Blackrock Neurotech

For many years neuroscientists have been researching how they can use technology to enhance the lives of people suffering from paralysis and other serious medical issues. Typically, this involves a chip implanted in the patient's brain that can translate thoughts into actions. One company leading the way forward is Blackrock Neurotech. Based in Salt Lake City, they've already implanted 50 chips into patients in an effort to help a wide variety of neurological disorders.

They have several different devices, known as arrays, that can be used to treat everything from hearing loss and epilepsy to paralysis and traumatic brain injury. In 2014, four of its Utah Arrays were implanted into Nathan Copeland. Copeland had been involved in a serious car crash a decade earlier, in which he suffered a serious spinal injury. Two of the arrays were placed in the part of the brain responsible for processing sensory information, and two others were implanted into the area that controls motor functions. The arrays, which are made of hard silicon coated with a conductive metal, look like tiny square hairbrushes fitted with 100 needles.

Copeland is a pioneer in the technology, with his implants lasting well beyond their initial expectancy of five years. In fact, he holds the record for the longest chronic Utah Array implant. According to Blackrock Neurotech, Copeland has achieved sensory feedback due to the technology.

Thanks to the electrodes, he's been able to use a computer, play video games, and move a robotic arm using only his thoughts. “When you have an accident like mine, and you are limited to what you can do, and limited in what you can interact within your environment, doing something like this is very cool and very rewarding,” he shared.

Copeland has been one of the most visible faces of the technology, even sharing a memorable fist bump with then-President Barack Obama in 2016 during a tour of the White House. While there are still many hurdles to cross before these types of implants are available to a wider public, Blackrock Neurotech is making strides.

In 2021, the FDA granted Breakthrough Device destination to one of their MoveAgain Brain Computer Interface (BCI) System. This designation allows for an expedited review process of the technology, which is designed to provide immobile patients the ability to control a mouse cursor, keyboard, mobile device/tablet, wheelchair, or prosthetic device simply by thinking.

While it may seem futuristic, the ability of science to help these patients gain more independence is an incredible step forward in terms of quality of life.

For nearly two decades, scientists have been implanting chips into the brains of paralyzed patients.

Photo: Blackrock Neurotech

These chips, known as arrays, allow thoughts to be transformed into actions.

Watch Nathan Copeland, who suffers from a spinal injury, use the system.

Copeland, who received his implant nearly a decade ago, is an advocate for the technology and the independence it provides.

See him shake hands with President Barack Obama with a robotic hand controlled by his mind.

h/t: [Unilad]

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READ: Scientists Use Brain Implants to Help Patients Regain Their Independence

Photo: ILEANA_BT/Depositphotos

Peanut allergies are at the very least inconvenient and at the worst deadly. Over 4.6 million adults in the U.S. are allergic to the legumes. For young children, discovering one's allergy can be a dangerous time. A new study published in ACS Nano might offer a potential cure for peanut allergies by using mRNA lipid nanoparticles to “train” the body out of an allergy.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) were inspired by the use of mRNA in the creation of the COVID vaccine. “As far as we can find, mRNA has never been used for an allergic disease,” paper co-author Dr. André Nel said to New Atlas. “We’ve shown that our platform can work to calm peanut allergies, and we believe it may be able to do the same for other allergens, in food and drugs, as well as autoimmune conditions.” Trials have already shown the procedure to reduce allergic reactions to peanuts in mice.

What is the mechanism behind this exciting advance? According to MD/PhD scholar Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, “Food allergy is defined as an immune system-mediated adverse reaction to food proteins.” In the case of peanut allergies, a protein in the peanuts causes a person's body to react with an immune response to this foreign substance which it identifies as harmful. To prevent this, the team codes the mRNA with an epitope, which the dictionary defines as “the part of an antigen molecule to which an antibody attaches itself.” This can be made peanut specific but in future could be tailored to a different allergy. This mRNA is placed in a lipid nanoparticle, which is sent to the liver. There it influences antigen-presenting cells to tolerate the peanut proteins.

“If you’re lucky enough to choose the correct epitope, there’s an immune mechanism that puts a damper on reactions to all of the other fragments,” says Nel. “That way, you could take care of a whole ensemble of epitopes that play a role in disease.” While you cannot yet cure your peanut allergy, some relief may emerge in the next few years. After the success of the mice trials, the researchers hope their procedure will be tested in human clinical trials within three years. The technique may also in future be used to alleviate other allergies, or even Type 1 diabetes.

An mRNA nanoparticle treatment might offer a new technique for mitigating harmful peanut allergies and their reactions.

Photo: VOLUROL/Depositphotos

h/t: [New Atlas]

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READ: Researchers Develop mRNA Treatment That Could Combat a Peanut Allergy

Photo: aletia/Depositphotos

One of the many advantages of getting older is the prospect of retirement. Relaxing after years of hard work sounds well-deserved, and being able to take advantage of decades of savings sounds tranquil. But when, exactly, should you retire? The typical age ranges across the globe from the early to late 60s, and with life expectancy ranging upwards to the mid-80s worldwide, it makes sense to relish in many years of not working. A new study suggests, though, that early pension programs could have a negative impact, particularly on cognitive functioning.

Researchers Plamen Nikolov and Shahadath Hossaina focused their studies on a fairly new pension program in China that aimed to alleviate concerns of old-age poverty and deal with rising life expectancies. The program started in 2009 and encouraged people to retire soon after turning 60 by offering a stable income. Now, with over a decade of data, researchers are able to study the effects of this program.

Nikolov and Hossaina begin their research article by stating, “Economists have mainly focused on human capital accumulation rather than on the causes and consequences of human capital depreciation in late adulthood.” In other words, literature in economics, they claim, has historically made the formation of human capital (such as cognitive abilities, education, and health) a priority over the declination of human capital.

“Studying how human capital depreciates over the life cycle has powerful economic consequences.” Nikolov and Hossaina point out that elderly individuals make crucial and complicated financial, health, and long-term care decisions, and those decisions have a huge economic impact.

Researchers compared a group of people who utilized the early retirement plan to a group of people who continued to work in their 60s. They gauged cognitive functioning based on two factors: episodic memory and mental intactness. They did so through a series of tasks and found that those who retired early had worsening cognitive performance over the years than those who continued to work. A main factor, they suggest, is social isolation. Early retirees reported lower levels of social engagement than their working peers.

Oddly, though, Nikolov and Hossaina also found that while cognitive skills declined in retirees, their general health saw improvement. Early retirees were quitting destructive habits such as smoking and drinking less alcohol, and they even reported sleeping better.

“Overall, the adverse effects of early retirement on mental and social engagement significantly outweigh the program’s protective effect on various health behaviors,” stated Nikolov. “Or alternatively, the kinds of things that matter and determine better health might simply be very different from the kinds of things that matter for better cognition among the elderly. Social engagement and connectedness may simply be the single most powerful factors for cognitive performance in old age.”

These results come at a time when many countries are starting to push the retirement age back. Namely, in China, there are reports that this change will be gradual, with a permanent pension age to be reached in 2025. It seems raising life expectancy in China is the main reason. In mid-January 2023 in France, millions across the country protested President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform, pushing the age from 62 to 64. He claims this change is necessary to keep the pension plan financially viable.

Nikolov and Hossaina's findings are not meant to create a claim that early retirement is not right, though. They assert that there are better ways to care for our elderly population. They believe they are solutions in which retirees can live a happy retirement without suffering from social isolation and losing their cognitive health. “Policymakers can introduce policies aimed at buffering the reduction of social engagement and mental activities,” said Nikolov. “In this sense, retirement programs can generate positive spillovers for the health status of retirees without the associated negative effect on their cognition.”

A new study suggests that early pension programs could have a negative impact on cognitive functioning in old age.

Researchers Plamen Nikolov and Shahadath Hossaina focused their studies on a fairly new pension program in China that aimed to alleviate concerns of old-age poverty and deal with rising life expectancies.

Photo: eskaylim/Depositphotos

The program started in 2009 and encouraged people to retire soon after turning 60 by offering a stable income. Now, with over a decade of data, researchers are able to study the effects of this program.

Researchers compared a group of people who utilized the early retirement plan to a group of people who continued to work in their 60s. They gauged cognitive functioning through a series of tasks.

They found that those who retired early had worsening cognitive performance over the years than those who continued to work.

A main factor, they suggest, is social isolation. Early retirees reported lower levels of social engagement than their working peers.

Oddly, though, Nikolov and Hossaina also found that while cognitive skills declined in retirees, their general health saw improvement.

Early retirees were quitting destructive habits such as smoking, drinking less alcohol, and they even reported sleeping better.

Nikolov, though, says, “Overall, the adverse effects of early retirement on mental and social engagement significantly outweigh the program’s protective effect on various health behaviors.”

Nikolov continues, “Or alternatively, the kinds of things that matter and determine better health might simply be very different from the kinds of things that matter for better cognition among the elderly. Social engagement and connectedness may simply be the single most powerful factors for cognitive performance in old age.”

Photo: londondeposit/Depositphotos

Their findings are not meant to create a claim that early retirement is not right, though. Nikolov and Hossaina assert that there are better ways to care for our elderly population.

“Policymakers can introduce policies aimed at buffering the reduction of social engagement and mental activities,” said Nikolov. “In this sense, retirement programs can generate positive spillovers for the health status of retirees without the associated negative effect on their cognition.”

h/t: [New Atlas]

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READ: Study Suggests That Early Retirement Can Cause Cognitive Decline

Photo: BRIANAJACKSON/Depositphotos

Many experts say to go outside and take in some sunshine (with appropriate sunscreen) for your health. This advice is likely founded in a concern for vitamin D levels. Humans get this necessary nutrient from exposing their skin to the sun, and then our skin produces vitamin D. A deficiency of vitamin D can damage bone health and may even impact mental health. A new retrospective study in PLOS ONE focusing on vitamin D supplement use among veterans suggests a possible link between supplement use and lower risk of suicide.

Vitamin D is primarily generated through sun exposure; however, certain foods also contain or are enriched with it. Supplements can help ensure people get enough of this vital nutrient, although it is advisable to check with a doctor before altering your vitamin D intake, as too much can have adverse health effects. The recent study examined the suicide and self-harm risk reported for veterans prescribed supplements through the VA. The researchers scanned the data of hundreds of thousands of people who between 2010 and 2018 were seen at the VA at least once.

The team compared veterans who received supplements through the VA with those who did not to see if there was a link between this and suicide risk. The control (no known supplement) population had a suicide and self-harm rate of 0.36%. That fell to 0.2% in the treated groups. Vitamin D2 supplements were associated with a 48.8% reduction, while D3 supplements were associated with a 44.8% reduction. Among Black veterans, there was a 60% decline, while those with vitamin D deficiencies say a 64% decline.

There are limits to this study. Causation is not possible to infer from the data. It is also possible that control-group members were accessing vitamin D in other ways, through greater sun exposure or buying supplements on their own. While some studies support the link between vitamin D and suicide risk, other studies have not found supplements to help alleviate depression. Though the scientific jury is still out on vitamin D supplements’ potential therapeutic effects, there are certainly plenty of known positive health effects from getting your proper daily dose. And, the researchers noted in the paper, “As a relatively safe, easily accessible, and affordable medication, supplementation with vitamin D in the VA may hold promise if confirmed in clinical trials to prevent suicide attempts and suicide.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with a crisis, self-harm, or suicidal ideations, don't wait, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

A study found vitamin D supplements may reduce the likeliness of suicide among veterans, an at-risk population.

Photo: BIT245/Depositphotos

h/t: [Gizmodo]

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READ: Vitamin D Supplements May Help Reduce Risk of Suicide Among Veterans

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Approximately 1.6 million Americans who suffer from Type 1 diabetes rely on daily insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels. And now, a top pharmaceutical company has decided to make it much easier for these people to get the medication they need at an affordable price. Eli Lilly announced that they will be lowering the price of the most commonly used form of insulin by 70%. In addition, they will be capping the out-of-pocket cost at $35.

The announcement builds on the Lilly Insulin Value Program, which was launched in 2020. Members of that program were already eligible to receive their insulin at $35 a month or less. But the new guidelines will bring these savings to even more people. Now, anyone with commercial insurance will receive their prescription at $35 or less through most retail pharmacies. Anyone who is uninsured or uses a non-participating pharmacy can still benefit from the deal by downloading a savings card.

“While the current healthcare system provides access to insulin for most people with diabetes, it still does not provide affordable insulin for everyone and that needs to change,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly's Chair and CEO. “The aggressive price cuts we're announcing today should make a real difference for Americans with diabetes”

Huge news.

Last year, we capped insulin prices for seniors on Medicare, but there was more work to do.

I called on Congress – and manufacturers – to lower insulin prices for everyone else.

Today, Eli Lilly is heeding my call. Others should follow. https://t.co/Kv57KFATe9

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 1, 2023

The price change for Humalog, Lilly's most commonly prescribed insulin, will go into effect in the fourth quarter of 2023. But there are other discounts coming even sooner. On April 1, the company is launching basal insulin that is interchangeable with Lantus (insulin glargine) injection. The cost will be $92 for a five-pack of Kwik Pens, which is a 78% discount compared to Lantus. Lilly's non-branded insulin, Insulin Lispro Injection 100 units/mL, will also see its price reduced from $84.21 to $25 a vial as of May 1. According to Eli Lilly, this will make it the lowest list-priced mealtime insulin available.

While Ricks acknowledges that many Americans don't use Lilly insulin, he's hoping that the company's stance will encourage policymakers and employers to help make the drug more affordable. President Joe Biden seems encouraged by the change, calling it “a big deal,” in a statement.

President Biden signed off on the Medicare Part D Senior Savings Model last year, which caps insulin at $35 for a month's supply. At the same time, he encouraged pharmaceutical companies to bring down the retail cost of the drug. Though relatively cheap to make, the average retail cost in the United States rose 54% between 2014 and 2019.

These changes couldn't come at a better time. Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing chronic illnesses in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 37 million adults have diabetes, many of whom are undiagnosed. Five to 10% of those people have Type 1 diabetes, and the disease has become the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

Additionally, 96 million adults have pre-diabetes, and 80% of those adults don't even realize they have it. Prediabetes raises the risk for Type 2 diabetes, as well as heart disease and stroke. In these cases, a lifestyle change can stave off diabetes and prevent the need for medication.

I did a… certain tweet two weeks ago. Something about insulin. You probably saw it.

Anyway, here’s why I did it: pic.twitter.com/fuPQW7KtMC

— Sean Morrow (@snmrrw) November 22, 2022

This change in price for Eli Lilly's medicinal offerings for diabetics is very much welcome, though it does come with some criticism. Many people online have pointed out that this change of heart could be the result of a PR nightmare for the company. Back in November 2022, a man named Sean Morrow took advantage of Twitter's recent rule changes for receiving a verified blue check mark—Twitter Blue allowed any user who paid its $8 per month subscription fee to receive a blue check mark. So, Morrow did just that with an old account he renamed @EliLillyandCo. With this new name, he went ahead and sent out a satirical tweet: “We are excited to announce insulin is free now.”

The fake insulin tweet brought more public attention to Eli Lilly than anything in the past 10 years at least. Not at all speculative, imo, to say it was a factor in their decision to slash insulin prices pic.twitter.com/qtVfOGlzlF

— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) March 2, 2023

The tweet went viral and many viewers believed the company was now offering insulin for free. Eli Lilly had to send out a public statement denying this change and admitting to their high insulin prices. After this admission, stock prices dropped 4.37% for the pharmaceutical company. Though they've made some positive changes in the end, many people question their motives.

It's worth noting that Eli Lilly announced this move on their investor relations page and highlighted the potential growth in customer base.

Not that anyone actually thought this was an altruistic move, but just a concrete reminder of motivation: returning value to shareholders. https://t.co/obSoK68YDx pic.twitter.com/cyxTTNttjm

— Sean Morrow (@snmrrw) March 1, 2023

Whether Eli Lilly's true intention is to actually make medicine affordable for diabetics, regain some good PR amongst netizens, or raise the value of their stock, one thing is clear: this drop in price is good news for people who need this life-saving medicine.

h/t: [CNN]

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READ: Pharmaceutical Giant Eli Lilly Caps Price of Insulin at $35 a Month

Photo: pressmaster/Depositphotos

Back in June 2022, over 60 UK-based companies launched a six-month trial of a four-day work week. While other countries, such as Belgium and Iceland, have given it a go, researchers and workers around the world anxiously awaited the results of the British experiment. As a multi-layered venture and the largest of its kind (as it featured close to 2,900 workers), the UK test would feature workers from several industries, and study the impact through more than mere surveying. Now, it has been announced that the results are overwhelmingly positive.

The key to the the four-day work week is that, despite working 20% less in time, employees wouldn't have their salaries reduced. In turn, the productivity would stay the same. While it would make more sense to implement a measure like this for desk jobs such as those in IT and financial services, more hands-on workplaces also benefited from this, like healthcare and eateries. Companies were allowed flexibility to figure this out—some reduced their hours during some seasons and kept an average of 32 weekly hours per year, while others reduced meetings and optimized handover processes.

Overall, the wellbeing of workers improved. About 71% of participants experienced lower levels of burnout, while 39% felt less stressed. As for their work-life balance, 62% found it easier to balance work with socializing, and 60% were better able to manage their priorities between work and their caring responsibilities. On top of that, the businesses who joined the study reported 65% fewer sick days and a 57% drop in employees leaving the company. Not only was the productivity sustained, but revenue also had a small increase of an average of 1.4% among those who joined the study.

The research was conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Cambridge, Boston College, and the think tank Autonomy, led by the non-profit 4 Day Week Global and the UK' 4 Day Week campaign. “The method of this pilot allowed our researchers to go beyond surveys and look in detail at how the companies were making it work on the ground,” says Dr. David Frayne of the University of Cambridge, a member of the qualitative research team behind this study. “We feel really encouraged by the results, which showed the many ways companies were turning the four-day week from a dream into realistic policy, with multiple benefits.”

While the true challenge seems to be keeping the four-day week for good, those who experienced it firsthand are willing to adopt it. 92% of the participating companies are willing to continue the program, while 18% have made the switch already. “When we ask employers, a lot of them are convinced the four-day week is going to happen,” says Brendan Burchell, from the University of Cambridge.“It has been uplifting for me personally, just talking to so many upbeat people over the last six months. A four-day week means a better working life and family life for so many people.”

The complete results of this study are available on 4 Day Week Global's website.

After a six-month trial, the results of a four-day work week in the UK are overwhelmingly positive, as 71% of participants experienced lower levels of burnout, while 39% felt less stressed.

Photo: Y-Boychenko/Depositphotos

h/t: [IFL Science]

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Their purrs, licks, neighs, and other silly antics make pets a central part of our human lives. The benefits of companionship and cuteness are obvious, but scientists are increasingly discovering hidden health perks of pet ownership. Dog owners see heart benefits, while pups and cats reduce the stress hormone cortisol. A new study from researchers at the University of Michigan, published in the Journal of Aging and Health, details another positive correlation between pet ownership and health. In this study, better cognition in adults over 65 was linked to extended pet ownership.

The study analyzed data from over 20,00 adults over 50 years old. Over the six years from 2010 to 2016, each participant answered certain questions about their pets. Cognitive scores were also collected at multiple points over the time period, testing short and long-term memory of words. For those over 65, individuals who reported owning a pet for more than five years consistently scored better than their pet-less peers. This effect remained as the individuals aged. While not necessarily causation, it suggests once more a relationship between furry friends and health. In this case, we may think better as we age thanks to Fido.

Why might pet ownership improve brain health? It could be the gut-brain connection, connected through the enteric nervous system in the gut which sends signals to the brain. The diversity of bacteria pets bring into the house may boost our guts. The “pet effect” may also be due to an increase in activity among pet owners, such as walking a dog or playing with a cat. Movement is good for the brain.

Maybe it's due to the chats we have with our four-legged friends which exercise our verbal neural networks. The positive effect pets produce on mental and emotional health could also suggest that they alleviate loneliness and protect brain function. While some studies have not found dogs and cats to positively boost cognition, the researchers at the University of Michigan suggest past studies focused on short-term interactions with animals rather than extended companionship. No matter the mechanism, pet ownership is increasingly recognized as beneficial—something animal lovers knew all along.

A study finds that having pets can help preserve cognitive processing ability as one ages, what researchers call a “pet effect.”

Photo: BUDABAR/Depositphotos

h/t: [Science Alert]

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READ: Study Says Pets May Protect Your Brain’s Cognitive Processing as You Age

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The science of aging is ever evolving. Tips and tricks abound for how to age gracefully, actively, or any other number of adjectives. However one hopes to age, most people seek to remain healthy. Now, a new study published in eBioMedicine indicates that staying well hydrated may slow aging and stave off disease. This is just another reason to drink water!

Researchers analyzed data from 11,255 adults over a 30-year period. They looked for links between serum sodium levels and various indicators of health. Serum sodium rises when fluid intake drops. Individuals with baseline high levels were excluded. Higher levels of sodium correlated to developing chronic conditions (such as heart failure and artery disease) and showing signs of advanced biological aging (assessed through 15 indicator factors). High levels also increased the likelihood of early death. Past studies have also found the risk of heart failure is raised.

Correlation is not causation, and more study is required before drinking water can be said to be actively preventative. However, as drinking sufficient water is generally considered healthy, it cannot hurt. “The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life,” says Dr. Natalia Dmitrieva, a study author and researcher in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the NIH. She also notes, “Decreased body water content is the most common factor that increases serum sodium, which is why the results suggest that staying well hydrated may slow down the aging process and prevent or delay chronic disease.”

Drinking sufficient water may help stave off chronic illness and aging.

Photo: GOODLUZ/Depositphotos

h/t: [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute]

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Throughout the years, researchers have discovered new ways in which nature is good for you and your mental health. For example, did you know that spending time in nature reduces your stress? Now, a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that, compared to urban settings, a walk in nature lowered negative emotional affect in people with major depressive disorder (MDD).

“While walking in nature has been shown to improve affect in adults from the community to a greater extent than walking in urban settings, it is unknown whether such benefits apply to individuals suffering from depression,” write the authors of the study. The team behind was set on working with individuals with mental health concerns, since most of the research done on the effects of nature don't feature people with a diagnosis or don't pay attention to the hours and days after the time spent outdoors. To do so, they set to find if a single 60-min walk had any repercussions in their mood.

The study had 37 participants, ages between 18 and 65, with more female than male representation, who were patients at a psychiatric outpatient clinic for persons with difficult-to-manage MDD. They were randomly assigned an urban walk on a busy street, or a stroll at a park away from the noise of the city. Both were to take place on a morning with good weather conditions. Participants were asked to avoid talking to each other for those 60 minutes.

The researchers collected data six different times before and after the walk—an hour before, during the walk, immediately after, and three, 24, and 48 hours after the stroll. While they didn't find any differences in positive affect, there was a decrease in negative affect, which stuck for two full days after the walk. The participants with the urban route also experience a decrease in negative affect, although it wasn't as strong as the nature group.

“There is a growing recognition that walking in nature could make us happier,” said Marie-Claude Geoffroy, study author and member of the Canada Research Chair in Youth Suicide Prevention to PsyPost. “A simple walk in nature, whether in the forest or in an urban park, is effective in relieving negative thoughts and feelings.”

A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that, compared to urban settings, a walk in nature lowered negative emotional affect in people with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Photo: AlexBrylov/Depositphotos

“A simple walk in nature, whether in the forest or in an urban park, is effective in relieving negative thoughts and feelings,” said Marie-Claude Geoffroy, study author.

Photo: ArturVerkhovetskiy/Depositphotos

h/t: [PsyPost]

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READ: Study Says Walking in Nature Can Reduce Negative Feelings Among Those With Depression

Photo: Jian-Cheng Lai, Bao Research Group @ Stanford University

Waiting for a wound to heal can feel like forever. And as you wait, cuts and scrapes are vulnerable to infection, which can delay the healing process. However, soon there may be a solution that can help speed things up. Researchers at Stanford University debuted a “smart bandage” that not only helps treat wounds but also monitors their healing status.

Although it is the same size as your average bandage, this new piece of technology is actually composed of wireless circuitry that uses electrical stimulation to accelerate tissue closure and reduce the chances of infection. The entire electronic layer—which includes biosensors and a microcontroller unit (MCU)—is layered with hydrogel, which acts as a courier for the electrical stimulation to the injured tissue. In addition, all of the healing processes are monitored through the bandage and can be checked via a smartphone.

“In sealing the wound, the smart bandage protects as it heals,” says Yuanwen Jiang, the first co-author of the study and a post-doctoral scholar in the lab of Zhenan Bao, the K.K. Lee Professor in Chemical Engineering in the Stanford School of Engineering. “But it is not a passive tool. It is an active healing device that could transform the standard of care in the treatment of chronic wounds.”

Although the data looks promising, researchers still have to address how they will scale up the smart bandage to other larger sizes, reduce the cost of production, and take into consideration the possible negative effects the hydrogel will have on the skin, causing irritation in some. Even so, the hope is that the smart bandage will offer a new standard of care to those who are afflicted by recurring ailments.

Scientists at Stanford University have created a “smart bandage” that can help heal wounds faster and monitor their healing process.

Photo: Jian-Cheng Lai, Bao Research Group @ Stanford University

h/t: [DesignTAXI, EurekAlert!]

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READ: ‘Smart Bandage’ Designed To Help Heal Wounds Faster