BEAVERTON, OREGON — A smart bandage that detects moisture levels and signals when it needs to be changed has helped a seventh grade student impress the judges at the Google Science Fair. <br /> <br />Anushka Naiknaware, 13, is a student at Stoller Middle School in Beaverton, Oregon. Her invention finished in the top eight at the competition, according to the event’s official website. <br /> <br />Naiknaware won a $15,000 scholarship and a free trip to Lego headquarters in Denmark, with a year of entrepreneurship mentoring from a Lego executive. <br /> <br />The bandage uses biopolymer chitosan with carbon nanoparticles to reduce bleeding and measure moisture levels in the wound. A battery and bluetooth chip sit on top of the bandage and are covered by a regular bandage adhesive layer. <br /> <br />When the moisture level is high, the electrons inside the bandage experience less resistance; when the bandage dries up, the electrons detect much higher resistance. <br /> <br />The change in resistance is noted and can be wirelessly transmitted to a mobile device, which then prompts the user to change bandages.
