Dual-Layer Flexible Liquid Metal Fiber for Plantar Pressure Monitoring and Synchronous Wound Electrotherapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) significantly impact patient quality of life and healthcare costs.
• Personalized management requires real-time biomechanical monitoring and effective therapeutic interventions.
• Current solutions often lack integrated diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dual-layer flexible liquid metal fiber (LMF) for simultaneous plantar pressure sensing and electrical stimulation.
• To investigate the efficacy of this multifunctional fiber in accelerating wound healing in a murine model.
• To create a wearable system for real-time monitoring and on-demand electrotherapy for diabetic foot care.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a flexible LMF with a liquid metal core for pressure sensing and an LM-copper alloy coating for electrical stimulation.
• In vivo testing in a murine infected wound model to assess wound closure, inflammation, and angiogenesis.
• Integration with Bluetooth and a smartphone interface for wireless data transmission and user control.

Main Results:

• The LMF effectively transduced mechanical deformation into resistance changes for pressure mapping.
• Electrical stimulation via the LM-Cu coating mimicked endogenous bioelectric fields, promoting wound healing.
• Significant enhancement in wound closure, epithelial migration, reduced inflammation, and stimulated angiogenesis observed in the murine model.
• The integrated system provided real-time plantar pressure visualization, alerts, and on-demand electrotherapy.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-layer LMF is a multifunctional, wearable solution for holistic diabetic foot care.
• This technology bridges the gap between diagnostic monitoring and therapeutic intervention for DFUs.
• The system offers a promising approach for personalized wound management and improved patient outcomes.