IIT Roorkee's smart bandage uses body movement to help wounds heal faster

Researchers at IIT Roorkee and the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed a smart bandage that uses body movement to help wounds heal.

The battery-free dressing, called 3D-MIDAS, turns body movement into electrical signals. When the flexible bandage stretches as a person moves, it produces electrical stimulation there. This means it does not need batteries, wires or an outside power source.advertisement❮❯ Read Full StoryHOW DOES IT HELP A WOUND?When skin is injured, the natural electrical signals that help cells repair damaged tissue can be disturbed. The new dressing aims to provide those signals while also keeping the wound covered. Bandage developed at IIT Roorkee (Photo: IIT Roorkee)

The bandage uses thin fibres and an ion-carrying material. Its porous design allows air to pass through and helps manage wound fluid. It can also stretch to about eight times its original length, allowing it to move with the body.

The researchers tested the technology in laboratory experiments and on animals. In cell tests, the dressing showed about three times more cell growth and 2.5 times more cell movement than control conditions.

In tests on rats, wounds treated with the dressing showed around 90–95% closure within 13–15 days. Researchers also found better blood-vessel formation, tissue structure and collagen development.

The team checked whether the bandage could generate electricity during normal movement. When placed on wounds of freely moving rats, it continued producing electrical output as the animals moved, without any external force. (Photo: IIT Roorkee) BUILT TO MOVE WITH THE BODY

The device maintained stable performance through 500 stretching cycles. Longer tests also showed stable performance over three months.

Professor Kaushik Parida, principal investigator, said the team wanted to solve the problem of electrical wound-healing systems that depend on an external power source.

The technology could eventually help in remote healthcare and emergencies, where batteries may be difficult to carry. However, human clinical trials are still needed before it can be used in routine medical care.

The study has been published in Nano Energy. The research team included scientists from IIT Roorkee and INST Mohali and was supported by government agencies including ANRF, ICMR, DST and PMRF.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 16:04 IST