Handheld Device That ‘Sees’ Sores Under Skin Gets Israel Patent

An Israeli developer of a handheld device that uses light to noninvasively detect pressure ulcers under the skin has received a patent from the country to support future commercial use. 

IR-MED‘s PressureSafe device is placed on the surface of the skin and exposes it with infrared light. It then evaluates the light intensity and patterns reflected by the different layers beneath the skin’s surface and uses an algorithm to determine whether the patient has a pressure ulcer.

Pressure ulcers are sores that are caused by sustained pressure being placed on a particular part of the body, interrupting the blood supply to the affected area of skin. In extreme cases, the injury can extend to muscle, tendon or bone.

It usually happens to older adults or people with underlying health issues with mobility issues who have sat or lay down on a hard surface for too long.

The company has already received a similar patent in the US, where it expects to launch its device early next year.

IR-MED says that its device provides a novel solution to the challenge of treating pressure injuries which costs $26.8 billion annually in the US alone, and disproportionately impacts people with more melanin.

“We believe that growing our patent portfolio at this time adds significant value as we are nearing commercial launch of PressureSafe in the US, while this specific patent supports our potential future commercial activities in Israel,” said IR-MED CEO Tzur Di-Cori.

“By assisting healthcare providers to identify and treat pressure injuries earlier, patients can benefit from significantly improved health outcomes while payers and providers can substantially reduce expenses stemming from advanced-stage pressure injuries and related complications.”