Developing Wound Moisture Sensors: Opportunities and Challenges for Laser-Induced Graphene-Based Materials

Recent advances in polymer composites have led to new, multifunctional wound dressings that can greatly improve healing processes, but assessing the moisture status of the underlying wound site still requires frequent visual inspection. Moisture is a key mediator in tissue regeneration and it has long been recognised that there is an opportunity for smart systems to provide quantitative information such that dressing selection can be optimised and nursing time prioritised. Composite technologies have a rich history in the development of moisture/humidity sensors but the challenges presented within the clinical context have been considerable. This review aims to train a spotlight on existing barriers and highlight how laser-induced graphene could lead to emerging material design strategies that could allow clinically acceptable systems to emerge

Smart Insoles-based Gait Symmetry Detection for People with Lower-limb Amputation

Lower limb prostheses offer mobility restoration to individuals who underwent amputation, yet they often introduce movement alterations that can affect physical health over time. While monitoring and understanding these alterations are crucial for designing tailored rehabilitation plans, existing technologies are primarily confined to clinical settings and lack representation of real-world mobility scenarios. This study investigates the use of smart insoles as a cost-effective means to assess walking symmetry and effectiveness in individuals with prostheses. Ten participants, including six lower-limb prosthesis users and four healthy subjects, were recruited to compare gait parameters and symmetry during a 2-minute walking test. The proposed methodology involves employing a Finite State Machine (FSM) to extract gait phases and subsequent kinematic and kinetic parameters. States of the FSM correspond to gait subphases, while transitions are managed by a fuzzy c-means clustering model. The solution demonstrated robust step count recognition, with an error rate of 1.24%. Additionally, when benchmarked against the GAITRite mat, a commonly used device for gait analysis, a mean absolute error of 0.05 seconds was identified in terms of stride time. Comparison between prosthetic and healthy subjects revealed distinct patterns. Specifically, primary differences have been identified in the symmetry of stance and swing times, where healthy subjects exhibited a higher symmetry percentage, with values of 93.75% and 92.95% respectively, against percentages of 88.82% and 83.05% for prosthetic sub- jects. These findings underscore the potential of smart insoles for ubiquitous monitoring of walking dynamics in daily life. By facilitating the early detection of asymmetries and anomalies, this study lays the foundations for the development of future solutions aimed at improving the quality of life of lower limb prosthesis users by sharing these insights with healthcare professionals who can define tailored rehabilitation strategies

Lasered Graphene Microheaters Modified with Phase-Change Composites: New Approach to Smart Patch Drug Delivery

The combination of paraffin wax and O,O′-bis(2-aminopropyl) polypropylene glycol–block–polyethylene glycol–block–polypropylene glycol was used as a phase-change material (PCM) for the controlled delivery of curcumin. The PCM was combined with a graphene-based heater derived from the laser scribing of polyimide film. This assembly provides a new approach to a smart patch through which release can be electronically controlled, allowing repetitive dosing. Rather than relying on passive diffusion, delivery is induced and terminated through the controlled heating of the PCM with transfer only occurring when the PCM transitions from solid to liquid. The material properties of the device and release characteristics of the strategy under repetitive dosing are critically assessed. The delivery yield of curcumin was found to be 3.5 µg (4.5 µg/cm(2)) per 3 min thermal cycle