A team of researchers has developed a smart bandage to protect wounds. The device is able to diagnose the formation of infections and report this by means of a notification to the patient’s smartphone. Regardless of how well the wound was disinfected, there is always a chance of developing an infection. This often depends on the body and the ability of the immune system to fight off pathogenic microbes. In such situations, a dressing that can detect the development of infection in the early stages will be helpful. This will eliminate the problem even before it leads to irreversible consequences. The smart dressing is based on a series of nanosensors woven into the fibers of the fabric. Microscopic sensors are made up of single-walled carbon nanotubes capable of capturing hydrogen peroxide, which is formed when bacteria are present. As soon as the sensors detect changes, the miniature wearable device is activated and sends an alert message to the patient’s smartphone. The dressing will be especially useful for people with slow wound healing, such as those with diabetes. The researchers do not plan to be satisfied with what has already been achieved. The next step involves incorporating the technology into the dressing using a Petri dish full of cells of the same type found in the bacterial environment. In addition, there are plans to scale nanosensors for use in larger dressings.