The final device results in a low-cost, user friendly, disposable and wirelessly connected patch. The sensor is directly integrated with an RFID chip, implementing a real-time wireless monitoring. Exploiting its intrinsic electrochemical properties, the sensor operates in real time by monitoring impedance variations that span over several orders of magnitude between dry and wet states. PEDOT:PSS is screen printed on a gauze in a specific geometry. In this work, we developed a textile sensor based on a conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) that discriminates wound’s moisture level. An innovative solution to address this issue is the design of a bandage with an integrated moisture sensor. Thus, to optimize the healing process, it is particularly important to maintain an optimum level of moisture, while limiting unnecessary dressing changes. Indeed, a low amount of exudate can desiccate the wound, while a high level of moisture will lead to maceration. A relevant parameter that they need to monitor is wound moisture.
Currently, clinicians monitor the wound’s status by removing the dressing, disturbing the healing process. One of the main problems of hard-to-heal wounds regards the monitoring of their healing progress. 2Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, Alma Mater Studiorium Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.1Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi”, Alma Mater Studiorium Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.Marta Tessarolo 1* †, Luca Possanzini 1* †, Isacco Gualandi 2, Federica Mariani 2, Leo Davide Torchia 1, Danilo Arcangeli 2, Federico Melandri 3, Erika Scavetta 2 and Beatrice Fraboni 1