A British billionaire as well as industrial equipment designer and inventor looks for ideas that solve practical problems in everyday life. In September, we met the winners of the national stages of the competition. Next, an international committee made up of 15 Dyson engineers, researchers and designers selected 20 short-listed inventions from 87 projects from around the world. The winner of the competition was chosen by James Dyson himself, indicating the authors of the SmartHEAL project, who will receive PLN 162,000 for its further development.

SmartHEAL is a smart pH sensor integrated with a wound dressing. By monitoring the pH values, you can assess the condition of the wound and detect infection without removing the dressing, and thus without damaging the tissues.

Creators of the solution: Tomasz Raczyński, MSc. Eng., Piotr Walter, MSc. Eng. and Dominik Baraniecki, MSc. Eng.  are graduates of the Faculty of Mechatronics, and currently doctoral students at our University. They have already constructed the sensor and confirmed its operation in laboratory conditions. They have also developed a technology for integrating printed electronics with textiles.

 – We still have a long way to go. We are a little scared, but also excited about the challenges ahead. Winning this competition will allow us to embark on the key research. Later, we plan to obtain additional funding that will help us lead the project through the most difficult stages of the development of all biomedical devices – says Tomasz Raczyński, MSc. Eng. – Our team consists of experts in the fields of electronics, nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, which provides us with a range of competences and skills to refine SmartHEAL and change the world for the better – he adds.

– The development of SmartHEAL and its implementation in the future is a huge challenge, because it requires both biocompatibility tests and clinical tests – emphasizes Dominik Baraniecki, MSc. Eng.

According to the judges of the Polish stage of the competition, the SmartHEAL project meets all the requirements set by the competition: it is scalable, cheap in preparation and responds to real demand.

The results of the competition were announced during a conference held on 16 November 2022

In Poland, the competition was held for the second time. Last year, XTRUDE ZERO won the national stage – the idea of Mike Ryan and Aleksander Trakul. Students at the Warsaw University of Technology and the University of Edinburgh designed a machine that disinfects and recycles used 3-ply surgical masks.