Medical Trauma Assessment Through the Use of Smart Textile

Survival rates for medical trauma caused either in the military battlefield or at a civilian injury scene decrease dramatically if treatment is delayed for more than one hour. The ability to remotely sense and assess the severity of wounds would enhance support decisions to plan and manage overall responses. The objective in Phase I is to design a smart textile capable of being remotely interrogated for open wound information. The smart textile would be comprised of currently available clothing fabric embedded with conducting fibers that act as radar antennas. An open wound, manifesting itself as a tear in the smart textile comprising the wounded's clothing, would be remotely sensed by an illuminating radar for the level of wound severity. Gauze, used to dress wounds, containing smart textile could also be remotely sensed supplying advanced medical information on partially treated trauma cases. A dual-use application of smart textiles would exist for both the military combat soldier and for civilian authorities such as the police and firefighters. Anticipated Benefits: Research and development on the design of a medical smart textile would produce dual-use benefits to the military and civilian sector through the creation of a fabric capable of relating the medical condition of the wearer.