Smart sensors and wound dressings: Artificial intelligence-supported chronic skin monitoring - A review

Integration of intelligent and efficient wearable sensors with well-optimized wound dressing bandages holds a technological transformative era wherein contactless chronic skin monitoring can be established. However, this approach is at an early stage and needs systematic research to connect components such as sensing, machine-skin interfacing, rapid data analytics. In this direction, present review elucidates the convergence of wearable sensor technologies and wound dressings, with a comprehensive overview of their combined potential for continuous monitoring of chronic wounds. Notably, our review extends beyond conventional wound care by incorporating sensors within these dressings to enable real-time evaluation of wound parameters. The combination of sensor data, encompassing vital signs, biochemical markers, and environmental parameters, facilitates real-time, noninvasive assessment of wound status. Furthermore, the introduction of artificial intelligence algorithms harnesses this rich dataset to predict and optimize tissue regeneration trajectories. The review explores the design considerations, sensor technologies, and biomarker identification, driving the development of these intelligent wound care systems. Additionally, it surveys recent studies on the successful implementation of AI models for predicting wound healing based on sensor-derived data. This review guides researchers in the multidisciplinary field of sensors and wound dressings, advancing contactless chronic skin monitoring and predictive tissue regeneration.