Smartphone administered pulsed radio frequency energy therapy for expedited cutaneous wound healing

Abstract

Pulsed radio frequency energy (PRFE) therapy is a non-invasive, electromagnetic field-based treatment modality successfully used in clinical applications. However, conventional PRFE devices are often bulky, expensive, and require extended treatment durations, limiting patient adherence and efficacy. Here, we present a lightweight, cost-effective wearable PRFE system consisting of a flexible electronic bandage and a smartphone. The bandage, mainly composed of an NFC Frequency Doubler (NFD) and a Radiofrequency Energy Radiator (RER), is powered and administered by the smartphone to generate 27.12 MHz radio wave pulses, for simplified, smartphone-enabled PRFE therapy. Its ultra-flexible, battery-free design supports personalized wound care at a low-cost (<US$1). Both electromagnetic field simulation and measurement demonstrated that the proposed PRFE bandage achieves the field strength of clinical-grade PRFE equipment. In rat full-thickness wound models, PRFE therapy improved wound closure rates by ~20%, with enhanced re-epithelialization and angiogenesis compared to controls.