New technology can rapidly detect infected wounds. 

A pocket-sized device called Swift Ray 1, developed by Canadian and Mexican scientists, can link to smartphones and swiftly determine if a wound is inflamed, infected, or neither.

The handheld scanner combines photos, infrared images, and bacterial fluorescence for a 74 per cent overall accuracy in identifying different wound states among 66 patients. 

Remarkably, it can distinguish infected from non-infected wounds with 91 per cent to 100 per cent accuracy. 

Recognizing infected wounds is a serious medical challenge. Traditional methods are subjective and time-consuming. To address this, scientists developed Swift Ray 1.

Swift Ray 1 attaches to a smartphone and uses infrared thermography and bacterial fluorescence imaging. It can distinguish between non-inflamed, inflamed, and infected wounds.

Testing on 66 patients has shown an overall accuracy of 74 per cent, with near-perfect accuracy in identifying infected wounds.

Its designers say the device could revolutionise wound care and telemedicine assessments in the future.

More details are accessible here.