AbstractsMedical & Health Science

Initial implementation of epidermal electronic systems into a clinical setting to monitor cutaneous wound healing

by Leo Falgout




Institution: University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign
Department: 0130
Degree: MS
Year: 2015
Keywords: epidermal electronics
Record ID: 2060392
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73094


Abstract

Epidermal electronic devices offer enormous potential as sensors and actuators for biomedical research and clinical application. One such area, cutaneous wound healing management, currently utilizes subjective analyses of health and instrumentation that does not conform sufficiently to the properties of skin. The desire to collect precise medical data over periods of time aligns well with the capabilities of flexible, stretchable, multi-functional devices. In this work, epidermal electronic devices are designed to spatially gauge temperature and hydration on the skin in order to quantitatively explore the process of wound healing. The design of the device and system incorporates several recent advances in flexible electronics, including fractal motifs, to adapt and optimize data acquisition after the removal of basal cell carcinoma. Initial results are promising and more patients will be included to determine the feasibility, reliability, and multifunctional potential of epidermal electronic devices for wound management and other non-invasive applications.