Healopad Inc.

Email: info@healopad.com

Instagram: healopad_smartbandage

LinkedIn: Healopad_smart_bandage

 

Company Ownership
1- Dr. Majid Lal Dehghani (CEO),

2- Dr. Mohammad Hadi Moheb Zadeh (Managing Director),

3- Dr. Babak Omranirad (General Manager),

4- Dr. Seyed Mohammad Ojaghi Haghighi (Director of Operations), and

5- Ms. Faranak Aryaei -Director of Sales and Marketing.

 

Business Description

Wound healing in the external and internal biological organs involves a series of complex overlapping processes that demand excellent communication between cells. One strategy to prevent wound infection is using smart bandage with the ability to monitor the exudate for future wound healing procedures. Wound dressings’ exudate absorption capacity is highly related to their porosity. Also, high porous wound dressings have proper water vapor transmission and cellular ingrowth in an interconnected pore. The prepared wound dressing, using Salt Leached PU, is embedded with the wearable UA biosensor coated with Ag-AgCl. It enables sensitive and specific detection of UA at a very low negative working potential. The detachable electronics (sensor) receives the information from the disposable sensor to inform the patient about the condition of the dressing through Wi-Fi. The smart bandage can wirelessly transmit to a personal smartphone to provide wound progression data in a patient’s comfort. This data can be sent from the patient’s smartphone to remote health care providers using either the mobile network or the Internet. In our solution, the high porous polyurethane wound dressing is manufactured by solvent casting/salt leaching technique. Then, the wound dressing is layered with the nanofiber, which is coated with Ag-AgCl. One of the most well-known anti-bacterial agents with considerable pro-wound healing is the nanofiber layer coated with Ag-AgCl. Studies show Ag-AgCl reduces inflammation and oxidative stress and increases the rate of wound healing or re-epithelialization in chronic ulcers.

Our technology involves the Internet of Things, Machine Learning, and supporting Algorithm called Artificial Neural Network. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a reality in multiple application areas where smart sensors are used to interconnect networks. The embedded disposable sensor transmits data to the reusable sensor, which is attached outside of the wound dressing. The data is transmitted wirelessly through a cloud database to a Machine Learning Neural Network. Neural networks simulate the behavior of human brains by implementing neurons. They take input from many other neurons (the smart sensors) and then execute a weighted sum as a result. Finally, the output is limited to a classified range. The influence of a specific input depends on the weight linked with the input. These weights are similar to the works of synapses in the human brain. The weights of the connections are established by applying inputs and desired outputs. The main components of NN (Neural Network) structural design are input nodes where the input data is utilized. The secondary set of components are hidden layers that process the inputs through the allocation of weights to the relevant inputs. The combination is transferred to the inputs of the next layer. Finally, the outputs assign a certain weight to the classification of the input set as a result.

Value Preposition:

The continuous wireless monitoring system permits observation of the wound daily and provides mechanical shield and conformability
✓ The Uric Acid sensor operates at a very low negative working potential (Ewrk = −0.3 V), thereby virtually eradicating interference from other easily oxidized species found in wound fluid
✓ Our smart bandage concept can provide long term wound progression data and early warnings to the health care providers
✓ It can be used on any type of chronic wound regardless of its size as the sensor dimensions can be changed. The bandage does not have to cover the wound in full. The reusable sensor is optional when buying the product.
✓ It does not take up too considerable room in the shoe, it performs well in a covered environment (footwear) and can endure shear forces
✓ More exact in predicting outcomes without being reprogrammed
✓ Maintains adequate moisture and prevents frequent unnecessary replacement.
✓ Super absorbent and conformable, antimicrobial, and painless, and it does not increase the risk of infection

 

Business Goals 

To help the elders or anyone suffering from Ulcers such as DFU to reduce the problem. Producing our bandage and selling through various channels, solves one of the most difficult experiences of probable patients.

Business Plan Overview
Enhancing the Quality of Life!

1- Wounds:

a. Acute (sometimes as introduction for 2nd type)

b. Chronic: diabetic foot ulcers (DFU)

i. do not heal in three months

ii. do not pursue an orderly healing process in a conventional period

iii. do not heal or heal very slowly

iv. can reoccur

v. If no prompt treatment, infections and complications can occur

2- Four different chronic wound types:

a. Venous ulcers,

b. arterial or ischemic ulcers,

c. Neuropathic foot ulcers,

d. Pressure injuries,

3- Chronic ulcers such as DFU, caused by neuropathy, pressure, or vascular insufficiency, are complicated and demands extensive and appropriate care at a prolonged period.

4- Smart bandage technology delivers :

a. smart wound dressing made up of Polyurethane + add a layer of a nanofiber, coated with Ag-AgCl (also acts as electrodes to transduce ionic current to the external sensor.)

b. instant updates on the situation of chronic wounds through a mobile device or a laptop or a desktop using a software application

c. imbedded with disposable wireless sensors, which can collect data and transmit to a handheld or a desktop located at a physician's office at a remote monitoring location.

d. The bandage can also give a warning when a change has to be applied.

e. In addition to real-time information, long term data is collected on an ongoing basis for the physician to monitor the wound healing process remotely, facilitating remote healthcare, especially when the patient is not mobile.

5- Some pathological disorders for DFU:

a. fungal infection,

b. bacterial infection,

c. reducing angiogenesis, (Birthing Veins)

d. etc.

6- Benefits:

a. to reduce the overall cost of wound care,

b. besides protection,

c. pain relief,

d. facilitation of online monitoring and

e. prevention from further bacterial infection

f. Patients, Home-based, could self-check be using a custom application on a mobile device with data transfer to a healthcare service provider as needed. It would empower the patient and allow the care provider to make informed treatment decisions. Employment of smart bandages could reduce the number of unnecessary chronic wound dressing changes, thus generating significant cost savings and reducing patient discomfort.

7- Use Cases:

a. DFU

b. Demnetia Patiens

8- Why PU?

a. Porosity (Vapouring and Secretion)

b. Flexibility (Mechanical & Physical Properties): film, foam, hydrogel, and hydrocolloid, and shapes.

c. If Ag-AgCl added, anti-bacteria property

9- Current Solutions:

Currently, there are bandages in solution form that can be painted onto the skin to form a thin film.

10- Sensor research in wound monitoring centers:

a. temperature,

b. moisture: a flexible electrode array has been developed through the inkjet printing of gold nanoparticles on flexible polyethylene naphtholate to measure the impedance spectrum of the tissues for early detection of pressure ulcers. Electrodes have been demonstrated to measure moisture levels as well as bacteria in wound dressings

c. pH: A polyaniline (PANI) based potentiometric sensor applied to a bandage strip has been reported to detect the pH levels of the wound OR, A hydrogel-based wireless sensor for pH monitoring of wounds has been fabricated.

d. pO2: The film emits oxygen-dependent phosphorescence5 that can be used to map the oxygen levels of the underlying skin tissue. The film emits oxygen-dependent phosphorescence that can be used to map the oxygen levels of the underlying skin tissue

e. bacterial load.

f. uric acid (UA) intensity in wound exudate is highly correlated with wound seriousness. It significantly decreases during bacterial infection because of catabolysis by microbial uricase. This unique characteristic makes UA a highly specific indicator of wound status and infectivity.

11- the devices:

a. are not optimized for comfortability and price, and

b. some require complicated fabrication procedures.

c. None of them has an integrated wireless component, and so making them unacceptable for remote health monitoring purposes.

12- Our Solution:

a. The disposable bandage: (with electrodes) We propose Polyurethane (PU) foams as wound dressing fabricated by solvent casting/salt leaching method. A bilayer of nanofiber6 is added to the scaffold and subsequently coated with Ag-AgCl for anti-bacterial effects and as electrodes.

b. The reusable sensor: (receiver)

i. The Machine Learning system will be trained using supervised learning using historical data.The real data collected through sensors, such as the uric acid levels and the rate of moisture of the wound, is fed through the Machine Learning Database.

ii. The Trained Database uses Artificial Neural Network Algorithms (ANN), to classify and compare the real-time data with the trained historical data, facilitating real-time monitoring.

iii. The Machine Learning Database is self-learning and updates the information (data) as new data becomes available. Prediction of wound status is facilitated through the output of ANN on a mobile device and remotely, so the wound can be monitored 24/7.

iv. Forecasting the likelihood of a particular outcome is facilitated as the real data is compared with the learned historical dataset.

v. Also, our software uses Wi-Fi to transfer data between the sensor and the receiving device (Smartphone, Tablet, Desktop) remotely.

 

Use Cases
In acute, chronic, and urgent Ulcers like DFUs

Sometime, IT IS WITH LOTS OF PAIN and we can help to be avoided. In other words, improving the quality of life.

 

Mission
We will develop, manufacture, and commercialize an effective and safe smart wound monitoring bandage that fills the unmet needs in the chronic wound healing market. It is intended to enhance the process of wound monitoring considerably, so the costs of wound care can be reduced, and quality of life be enhanced.

 

Business Model
We will outsource all our production requirements to a third-party laboratory. We will import the salt leached PU. An established Laboratory will have A Cleanroom for sterilization of the PU Pad and add the Nanofiber layer and the Ag-AgCl. Our Company will provide the design for the removable bandage and oversee quality control. In our premises, we will concentrate on Software programming and the provision of the reusable sensor for the product, which we will supply to the laboratory. Once the laboratory receives the removable sensor, the final product will be packaged and labeled in three sizes, ready to be shipped out to the warehouse.