A “smart patch” that accelerates wound healing more than ointments or adhesive bandages has been developed.

KAIST announced on the 13th that a research team led by Professor Choi Kyung-chul of the School of Electrical Engineering, in collaboration with Dr. Sung Dae-kyung of the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology and Professor Park Chan-soo’s team at Chungbuk National University, has developed a “self-regulating wound treatment patch” technology that combines an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with a drug delivery system.

This patch autonomously regulates an appropriate amount of “medication.” The concentration of signaling molecules in the body (reactive oxygen species) changes according to the intensity of light emitted from the patch, and this functions as a kind of “switch” so that only the required amount of the wound treatment agent (Centella asiatica extract) is released. This technology can block side effects seen in conventional treatments, which occur when too much ointment is applied or when cells are excessively exposed to regenerative light. In mouse experiments, the wound recovery rate of the combination therapy group on day 14 of treatment was 67%, roughly twice that of the control group (35%).

Its flexible structure allows it to adhere completely even to curved skin surfaces, minimizing light energy loss, and its surface temperature remains around 31 degrees Celsius even during prolonged wear, reducing the risk of low-temperature burns. It operated stably for more than 400 hours, confirming its potential for application as a medical device.

Professor Choi stated, “There are plans to advance this into an intelligent treatment technology that autonomously responds to the patient’s physical condition.”

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